Moving to United Kingdom from United Arab Emirates
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Arab Emirates to United Kingdom? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Arab Emirates to United Kingdom, you would find that United Kingdom is 65.7% more expensive than United Arab Emirates overall. A AED275,438 salary in United Arab Emirates would need to be roughly £59,048 in United Kingdom to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — London averages 60°F vs 93°F in Abu Dhabi, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom.
What does your salary buy?
AED275,438 → £59,048
To maintain the same standard of living in United Kingdom
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.3 times more
Groceries
pay 34.2% more
Transportation
pay 95.8% more
Housing
pay 7.1% more
Childcare
pay 2.7 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.0% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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 United Kingdom cost about 11% more than cities in United Arab Emirates.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Arab Emirates to United Kingdom.
people moved from United Arab Emirates to United Kingdom · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in United Kingdom compared to United Arab Emirates.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United Arab Emirates generally does better on infrastructure, though United Kingdom leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United Arab Emirates generally does better on employment & economy, though United Kingdom leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United Kingdom performs significantly better than United Arab Emirates across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Abu Dhabi | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 78°/56°F (26°/14°C) | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/72°F (37°/22°C) | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 106°/81°F (41°/27°C) | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/64°F (31°/18°C) | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) |
View all months
| Month | Abu Dhabi | London |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.8°C) | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.2°C) | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) |
| Mar | 83°/60°F (28.6°/15.8°C) | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/66°F (33.4°/19.1°C) | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) |
| May | 101°/73°F (38.4°/22.8°C) | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 103°/77°F (39.6°/24.8°C) | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) |
| Jul | 108°/82°F (42.0°/27.6°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) |
| Aug | 107°/84°F (41.5°/28.7°C) | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) |
| Sep | 104°/78°F (40.1°/25.6°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 96°/71°F (35.8°/21.8°C) | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) |
| Nov | 87°/64°F (30.6°/17.5°C) | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) |
| Dec | 78°/57°F (25.7°/14.1°C) | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) |
Data:
Met Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Arab Emirates and United Kingdom. To live, work, or study long-term in United Kingdom, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United Kingdom's immigration authority.
United Arab Emirates passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United Kingdom passport holder visiting United Arab Emirates
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in United Kingdom than United Arab Emirates?
On average United Kingdom is around 6% pricier than United Arab Emirates, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United Kingdom?
Budget about £14,762 for 3 months in United Kingdom (based on a AED275,438 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United Kingdom?
Connectivity is usually fine (United Kingdom: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United Kingdom offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United Kingdom safe for expats?
United Arab Emirates generally does better on safety, though United Kingdom leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United Kingdom is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in United Arab Emirates.
How is healthcare in United Kingdom compared to United Arab Emirates?
United Kingdom generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Arab Emirates leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.7 doctors per 10,000 people in United Kingdom, compared to 29.1 in United Arab Emirates. United Kingdom scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Arab Emirates: 82).
What's the weather like in United Kingdom compared to United Arab Emirates?
The average high temperature in London is 60°F, compared to 93°F in Abu Dhabi. London receives around 22.0 in of rainfall per year, while Abu Dhabi gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in United Kingdom?
The official language in United Kingdom is English. In United Arab Emirates, the official language is Arabic.
