United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Arabian Peninsula

Middle East
79
Overall score
Strong overall
Language
Arabic
Currency
AED
Citizenship
No ordinary residence-based route
Personal tax
No personal income tax
Cost of living
$2,300 / mo (single)

A low-tax Middle Eastern country with widely spoken English, strong universities and a deep job market, but a high cost of living and no dual citizenship.

Pros

  • Widely spoken English
  • Strong universities
  • A deep job market

Cons

  • A high cost of living
  • No dual citizenship

Best for

Low-tax relocatorsFoundersInvestors

Score profile

Status & mobility
Passport
90
Citizenship
12
Residence
78
Money & business
Taxes
94
Corporate tax
74
Business
80
Investment
89
Economy
88
Wealth building
85
Living, study & work
Education
78
Salary & work
84
Cost of living
57
Buying power
84
Quality of life
Safety
77
Healthcare
79
Infrastructure
85
HDI
94

Status & mobility

Passport

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any travel or visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Passport power
Excellent
90

Passport-index style mobility for the United Arab Emirates passport. The score above is its world reach: the share of 198 destinations reachable without a prior visa.

179 / 198
Mobility
#15
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free132
  • On arrival41
  • eTA6
  • Visa required19

Passport Index style mobility data (2024–2025 estimate). Placeholder figures; verify current entry rules with each destination’s authority before travelling.

Citizenship

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any citizenship decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Citizenship accessibility
Low
12
Years requiredNo ordinary residence-based route
Dual allowedfalse
LanguageCheck the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
ResidenceTypical headline route: No ordinary residence-based route; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
NotesRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Residence

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any residence / visa decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Openness to residents
Good
78
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines how international the population already is (migrant stock at 45%), governance quality (regulatory quality at 25%), and the curated residence-pathway signal (30%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Migrant stock74.0% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality1.13 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
StudentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
WorkRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employedRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
PermanentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Money & business

Taxes

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Tax friendliness
Excellent
94
PersonalNo personal income tax
Corporate9% above the taxable-income threshold; free-zone rules vary
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Personal tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Personal tax
Excellent
100
PersonalNo personal income tax
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Corporate tax

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Corporate tax
Good
74
Corporate9% above the taxable-income threshold; free-zone rules vary
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Business
Business friendliness
Excellent
80
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score leans on the two things founders ask about most: the tax burden (headline corporate rate at 20%, broader tax friendliness at 15%, and freedom from exit-tax / CFC rules at 10%) plus the regulatory and bureaucratic environment (regulatory quality 15%, government effectiveness 15%), on top of the curated company-rules signal (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the values are shown below.

Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality1.13 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness1.26 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rules & taxes
Foreign co.Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local co.Available company forms and capital requirements vary
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Corporate tax9% above the taxable-income threshold; free-zone rules vary
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign cosManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Investment

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any investment / tax decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Investing environment
Excellent
89
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score is mostly the investor-tax signal (capital-gains treatment, broker access, wealth tax, and ETF or other taxes on investment, 70%), lightly contextualised by equity-market depth (market cap / GDP at 18%) and credit depth (domestic credit to the private sector / GDP at 12%). Available indicators are reweighted.

Market cap191% of GDP (2024)
Private credit65% of GDP (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxCheck current national and subnational rules
BrokersLocal and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Economy
Economic strength
Excellent
88
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines income level (GDP and GNI per capita, output per worker), growth momentum (real GDP growth), price stability (inflation) and labour utilisation (unemployment). Available indicators are reweighted; the sector split and industry profile below are descriptive, not scored.

Output & income
GDP$552.3B (2024)
GDP / person$50,274 (2024)
GNI / person$81,530 PPP (2024)
GDP growth4.0% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation1.7% / yr (2024)
Unemployment2.2% (2025)
Output per worker$108,203 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture0.8% of GDP (2024)
Industry44.3% of GDP (2024)
Services54.9% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Oil & gasFinanceTrade & logisticsTourismReal estateAviation
Top exports
Crude oil & gasRe-exportsGold & jewelleryAluminium
TypeHigh-income, energy- and services-led
Key sectorsEnergy, Dubai trade, finance & tourism hub, Aviation & logistics
SummaryA diversified Gulf economy where oil wealth funds world-class trade, finance, tourism and aviation hubs.
CurrencyUAE dirham (pegged to the US dollar)
Wealth building

Rules change often and depend on your situation. Confirm any tax / investment decision with a qualified professional, or do your own research, before acting.

Wealth accumulation
Excellent
85
How this score is calculated

How favourable United Arab Emirates is for building wealth: earnings and business/investment upside, tax drag, and how much a typical income keeps after living costs. Estimated from the factors below.

Salary & work
Excellent
90
Business
Excellent
83
Investment
Excellent
94
Tax friendliness
Excellent
94
Cost of living
Moderate
57

Living, study & work

Education
Education score
Good
78
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines attainment (expected schooling at 30% and mean schooling at 25%) with participation (tertiary enrolment at 25%) and public investment (government education spending at 20%). Available indicators are reweighted; tuition and study rules remain separate profile fields below.

Attainment
Expected schooling15.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment64% gross (2024)
Education spending3.9% of GDP (2021)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition$8,000-30,000 / yr
Public uniVaries by institution, programme, and student nationality
LanguagesArabic
Student workRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Excellent
84
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines output per worker (a proxy for wage potential at 40%), unemployment (35%) and labour-force participation (25%). Available indicators are reweighted; the curated profile fields remain below.

Output per worker$108,203 PPP (2024)
Unemployment2.2% (2025)
Participation78.6% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
FreelanceMarket access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job marketUse current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.
Cost of living
Affordability
Moderate
57

Our 0–100 affordability score is derived from the local consumer price level (World Bank, US = 100): the cheaper everyday prices are, the higher it scores. Lower price level means your money goes further here.

Price level70 (US = 100) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentVaries substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly$2,300 / mo (single)
CitiesDubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Excellent
84
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score estimates how far money goes for the typical person here. It combines GNI per capita at PPP (30%) and actual household consumption per person at PPP (15%) with a price-advantage term from the local price level (25%) that rewards lower prices, then adjusts for income equality via the Gini index (20%), so unequal economies don't ride a high average, plus price stability via consumer inflation (10%). Available indicators are reweighted; it is a comparison, not a personal budget estimate.

GNI / person$81,530 PPP (2024)
Consumption / person$30,202 PPP (2023)
Price level70 (US = 100) (2024)
Income inequality26.4 Gini (2018)
Inflation1.7% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Quality of life

Safety
Safety & stability
Good
77
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines personal safety (intentional homicide rate at 35%), institutional quality (rule of law at 25% and control of corruption at 20%), and political stability and absence of violence (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below. Always check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Personal safety
Homicide rate0.7 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Rule of law0.50 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Control of corruption1.17 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability0.79 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Good
79
How this score is calculated

Our 0–100 score combines health outcomes (life expectancy at 25% and under-5 mortality at 20%) with system capacity (physicians at 20% and hospital beds at 15% per 1,000 people) and health spending per capita (20%). Available indicators are reweighted; the published values are shown below.

Outcomes
Life expectancy83.1 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality4.8 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians2.99 per 1,000 (2023)
Hospital beds1.87 per 1,000 (2022)
Health spending$3,727 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
InsuranceCheck residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Avg costDepends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage
Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
85
How this score is calculated

The score combines digital access, resilience and download performance (30%), electricity access and network losses (30%), and transport infrastructure covering rail, logistics and aviation (40%). Available inputs are reweighted, but a country needs both digital and transport data to receive a score.

Digital infrastructure
Internet use100.0% (2024)
Internet resilience63 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed98 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed100 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses4.3% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality4.10 / 5 (2022)
Rail density3.9 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity39,618 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

HDI
Human development score
Excellent
94
How this score is calculated

The UN Human Development Index is the geometric mean of three dimension indices (a long and healthy life, knowledge, and a decent standard of living), shown on a 0–100 map scale (HDI × 100). The 2023 UNDP inputs behind each dimension are listed below.

HDI0.940 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy82.9 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling15.6 years (2023)
Mean schooling13.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$71,142 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Resources

Mock data for demonstration only. Not legal or tax advice.