United Arab Emirates · Visit or make it home

Dubai

Dubai is a city in United Arab Emirates. Compare its dated local facts and monthly climate before choosing a time to visit or planning a move. Housing references and national earnings describe different populations; verify the costs of your own home and job before deciding.

Get to know Dubai

A sense of the place

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai. It is on a creek on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf. As of 2025, its population stands at 4 million, 92% of whom are expatriates. The wider urban area includes Sharjah and has a population of 5 million people as of 2023, while the Dubai–Sharjah–Ajman metropolitan area has a population of 6 million people. Founded in the early 18th century as a pearling and fishing settlement, Dubai became a regional trade hub in the 20th century after declaring itself a free port and extending the Creek . Modest oil revenue helped accelerate Dubai's development from the 1960s to the 1990s, when the city started to diversify its economy. In 2018, oil production contributed less than 1% to the emirate's GDP. Rapid construction since the 1990s has produced one of the world's densest skylines, including the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Extensive land-reclamation projects have added more than 300 kilometres of artificial coastline.

Weather through the year

When to visit Dubai

Temperature

August has the warmest monthly average (35.4°C); January is coolest (20.1°C). These averages include nights, so daytime highs can be considerably warmer.

Rain and outdoor plans

January averages about 17 mm of rain, compared with 1 mm in July. Rainfall alone does not identify a single best month; compare temperatures with the activities you plan.

Planning time outdoors

January, February combine monthly mean temperatures of 12–22°C with less than 100 mm of precipitation. These are useful dates to compare for a walking-focused visit; check daylight, opening times and the forecast for your actual trip.

Monthly mean temperatures reach at least 25°C in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. For sightseeing, plan shade, water breaks and accommodation cooling into your day; daytime temperatures can be higher than these day-and-night averages.

Monthly climate averages — 2001-2020
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average °C20.120.823.326.930.733.135.035.433.530.726.522.5
Rain, mm178169441121814

Source: NASA POWER climatology · Reference period: 2001-2020. Long-term averages for the surrounding grid area. Conditions vary within a city; monthly averages are neither a forecast nor a guarantee of dry days.

Places around Dubai

Build your shortlist for a day out. Distances are straight-line from the city centre; check routes and opening times before setting off.

Average rent in Dubai

What is the average rent in Dubai?

A verified average rent for Dubai is not available in the evidence shown here. Do not substitute another city’s price or a national estimate. Compare current properties for the same home size and neighbourhood, then include utilities, deposits and daily transport when building a budget for a visit or move.

Average salary in Dubai

What is the average salary in Dubai?

A verified city average salary for Dubai is not available in the evidence shown here. National income per person and purchasing-power measures are not salaries and cannot predict take-home pay. Compare a current offer in your occupation with local taxes, housing and transport costs before deciding whether a move is affordable.

How should I compare Dubai with another city?

Compare the same dated measures for both cities, keeping local observations separate from national context. Start with rent, your expected income and the journeys you will make regularly. Then adjust the comparison weights to your priorities. Missing measurements do not prove an advantage; verify decisive costs and services with current local sources.

  1. Choose a comparison below and read its sources and dates.
  2. Set priorities for housing, work, transport and climate.
  3. Check current listings and your own income before making a decision.

Data sources, licences & reuse terms

Plan your stay

Budget and everyday decisions

A holiday budget

Compare accommodation for your actual dates in Dubai, then add the journey here, airport transfers, meals and the activities you want. A cheap room outside the centre can cost more overall if it adds daily transport.

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A relocation budget

Use the planner below to compare housing, daily spending and the cost of your move.

Include the deposit, utilities, internet and commuting. Compare those costs with your own expected take-home income.

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Your relocation planning budget

Build a monthly budget for Dubai in euros. Totals are calculated from the amounts below, not live quotes. Enter a housing amount for your chosen home.

Monthly total: Enter all five monthly amounts

First month including move: Enter your moving costs too

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Compare the details

Dubai at a glance

United Arab Emirates: the wider context

These are country-level figures, not measurements of Dubai. Use them to compare national conditions; neighbourhoods, salaries and individual services can differ substantially.

See 9 national indicators
What to check before deciding

Comparable figures are not available here for: Annual sunshine hours; Seismic hazard (ordinal 0 very-low to 4 high); Distance to nearest sea / coastline; Monthly rent, 1-bedroom, city centre; Distance to nearest mountains (>1500 m); Public-transport provision (ordinal proxy). Check the items that affect your plans with local providers. They are not treated as zero or as an advantage in recommendations.

Compare Dubai with other cities

Read the source dates, choose your priorities and keep unavailable values separate from costs you know.

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