Moving to Taiwan from United Arab Emirates

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to Taiwan? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from United Arab Emirates to Taiwan, you would find that Taiwan is 33.3% cheaper than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED280,000 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly NT$1,670,000 in Taiwan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.

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Is Taiwan cheaper than United Arab Emirates?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 37.4% less

Groceries

pay 65.1% more

Transportation

pay 4.0% less

Housing

pay 68.6% less

Childcare

pay 54.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 52.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 AED = 8.92 TWD (November 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Taiwan?

What does your salary buy?

AED280,000 → NT$1,670,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Taiwan

Calculate with your salary →

Cost of living by city

Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).

On average, cities in Taiwan cost about 8% less than cities in United Arab Emirates.

United Arab Emirates

Dubai 58%
Al Ain 42%
Fujairah 35%

Taiwan

HsinChu 43%
Tainan 41%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Taiwan compared to United Arab Emirates.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2024

share of households with internet

AE
100.0%
TW
90.0%

United Arab Emirates performs better than Taiwan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AE
2.2%
TW
3.7%
Top income tax rate Ministry of Finance, 2016

the highest marginal rate on personal income

AE
0%
TW
45%

United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though Taiwan leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

AE
83.1 yrs
TW
81.2 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AE
3.8
TW
4.0

United Arab Emirates performs better than Taiwan across all family life metrics.

Sources: The World Factbook (2003–2022), World Bank (2024–2025), Ministry of Finance (2016), Taxation Administration, Ministry of Finance, R.O.C. (2016). How we calculate this

Can you move from United Arab Emirates to Taiwan?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and Taiwan. To live, work, or study long-term in Taiwan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Taiwan's immigration authority.

United Arab Emirates passport

United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting Taiwan

Visa Online (e-Visa)
United Arab Emirates passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Taiwan.
Taiwan passport

Taiwan passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Taiwan passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Arab Emirates.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Taiwan than United Arab Emirates?

On average Taiwan is about 33% less expensive than United Arab Emirates, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Taiwan?

Budget about NT$417,500 for 3 months in Taiwan (based on a AED280,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Taiwan?

From major Taiwan cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in United Arab Emirates and Taiwan are what actually decide it long-term.

What language do they speak in Taiwan?

The official language in Taiwan is Chinese. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

AE TW
Population 11,513,149 23,412,899
Currency United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) New Taiwan Dollar (NT$)
Languages Arabic Chinese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +971 +886
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 110