Starting a new life in a new country is never an easy choice to make. With tons of questions fogging your mind, it’s really a tough call to take. But if your mind is swindling between Dubai and the USA (we call it America with much fondness), we can help you out deciding with help of this typical faceoff. Dubai vs America – which one is better for expats!
Both Dubai and America are the places accommodating a very large and vibrant expat community. This certainly confirms that both countries offer some of the most lucrative opportunities to settle for a better life!
We have already published similar face-off articles including the Dubai vs London, Dubai vs Los Angeles, Dubai vs Berlin, and Dubai vs Sydney. Take a look at any of them in case you are interested.
Our findings are coming out of a comparative analysis based on location, topography, weather, cost of living, salaries, career opportunities, population density, things to do and see, education, crime rate and transport facility.
We found Dubai better for expats to settle down but of course, there are many factors beyond the ones we considered in this article. And it is obvious that your personal preferences and life goals may be different than ours. So, the final call is on you!
Location
We are starting this head-to-head analysis between Dubai and The USA with their locations. Dubai, one of the most sought-after expat destinations in the Middle East, tucked on the eastern coast of the Persian Gulf. America or the USA, on the other hand, is a massive country stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean.
Dubai sits pretty close to most parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Whereas America is only close to Canada, Mexico and the northern part of South America. Every other place on the earth sits far away from The USA.
Travelling from Dubai is actually much shorter if your destination is anywhere in Europe, Asia or Africa. On the contrary, America can offer only a short flight time if you are going to Canada or Mexico. The rest of the world is quite away from it!
And if your destination is somewhere in Australia or New Zealand, both these countries will slap you with lengthy flight journeys!
Winner: Dubai
Topography
Before we jump to compare the weather reports from Dubai and America, let’s take a short look at their topographies.
When it comes to topography, America probably has every variety that one can imagine. This country is blessed with a wide range of landscapes ranging from snowy mountains to barren deserts, from beautiful coastlines to stunning canyons, and from fertile lands to gorgeous national parks.
Dubai’s topography is certainly not as enchanting as America’s. This emirate features more or less flat landscape with very little element of twist. Dubai had been grown out of nowhere in the middle of a desert. There is a few oasis and lakes along with a short but impressive coastline.
Landscape of America is certainly more intriguing than it is in Dubai. Travel enthusiasts will always have something to explore to sedate their adventure-seeking souls in America.
Winner: America
Weather
Moving to a new country exposes you to a new (and possibly completely different) set of climatic conditions. Sometimes it may be a little hard for your body and soul to take the blow. Never underestimate the way climate can determine the way of your life. So, give it a serious thought before moving either to Dubai or to America.
If it’s Dubai, you must be ready to have long hours of daylight. The days are very bright and sunny. The best time of the year is the winter season. Winter sets in here in November and goes strong till February. Summer is literally unbearable in Dubai, particularly for those coming from winter-dominated countries.
August is the hottest month of the year in Dubai when the average temperature hovers around 36 °C while January marks the coolest month with an average temperature of 19 °C. We would love to add that August is also the best month to swim in the sea when seawater temperature remains nearly at 33 °C.
| DUBAI | Highest Temperature (in °C) | Lowest Temperature (in °C) |
| January | 23 | 14 |
| February | 24 | 15 |
| March | 27 | 17 |
| April | 32 | 20 |
| May | 37 | 24 |
| June | 38 | 26 |
| July | 40 | 29 |
| August | 41 | 30 |
| September | 38 | 27 |
| October | 35 | 23 |
| November | 31 | 19 |
| December | 26 | 16 |
You can check out the climate conditions of Dubai in more detail with our previous post on Dubai Weather.
Let’s see what America has got in its climate section.
The climate of America is highly diverse. This is due to its massive size and multi-faceted landscapes. The climate in America ranges from bright and sunny tropical conditions to super-snowy arctic and alpine conditions.
There are as many as seven major climate regions in America – Northwest Coastal, High Plains, Midwest, Mi-Atlantic, Southeast, South and Southwest. Each region having their own and distinctive weather patterns, types and amounts of precipitation, temperature, wind flow etc.
Los Angeles probably hosts the best spot in the whole country where the climate throughout the year remains pleasant. No wonder why Los Angeles is one of the favourite places in America where everyone wants to settle down!
| New York (Eastern Part of the USA) | Highest Temperature (in °C) | Lowest Temperature (in °C) |
| January | -1 | -4.3 |
| February | 0 | -3.9 |
| March | 4.1 | 0.1 |
| April | 10.5 | 6 |
| May | 16 | 11.8 |
| June | 21.3 | 17.2 |
| July | 24.5 | 20.5 |
| August | 23.5 | 20 |
| September | 20 | 16.5 |
| October | 14 | 10.2 |
| November | 7.7 | 4.4 |
| December | 2.5 | -0.5 |
| Los Angeles (Western Part of the USA) | Highest Temperature (in °C) | Lowest Temperature (in °C) |
| January | 12 | 6.7 |
| February | 12.3 | 7 |
| March | 14 | 8.3 |
| April | 16 | 9.7 |
| May | 18.2 | 12.5 |
| June | 21 | 15 |
| July | 24 | 18 |
| August | 24.5 | 18.2 |
| September | 23.2 | 17 |
| October | 19.5 | 13.5 |
| November | 15.5 | 9.8 |
| December | 11.6 | 6.5 |
We have listed above the average monthly temperature from two American cities – New York (from the eastern part of the USA) and Los Angeles (from the western part of the USA). If you compare the tables, the difference in monthly average temperature is huge. So, you must research your part before moving to any particular climate zone in America.
Winner: It’s America for its versatile climate zones that offer more varied options to expats.
Dubai vs USA For Cost of Living
Be it America or Dubai – wonderful living conditions are assured when you pick any of these places to settle down. An extravagant lifestyle is core to Dubai’s living but America is also known for its expensive ways of enjoying life fullest. Let’s see which offers what when it comes to the cost of living.
When you are in Dubai, you must arrange for at least AED 19,000 per month to have a decent life. This expense goes pretty higher and costs you around USD 9,200 (AED 33,800) when you are living in New York, USA. The average monthly expense in Los Angeles in the USA will be around USD 7,000 (AED 25,700) which is way higher than Dubai but lesser than New York.
Consumer Prices in New York are higher than Dubai by 53% whereas Rent Prices in New York are a whopping 116% higher. Although Los Angeles is less costly compared to New York, still its Consumer Prices and Rent Prices supersede Dubai’s by 20.50% and 57.5% respectively.
So, it’s very much evident from the above-mentioned data that your dream of living in America will surely pinch your pocket harder than Dubai’s pinch. Hosting a wide range of high-end restaurants, retail shops and regular groceries, America’s price tags are always on the expensive side.
Now comes the best part of working and living in Dubai. You don’t have to pay any tax on your income even when you’re an expat there! This certainly means you can save a huge amount and have a far better lifestyle in Dubai by spending the same (or may be lesser) amount per month.
Note: Data shown in this segment is derived from Numbeo.com. Check out this site for more recent and updated data. You can also go to this page to compare costs of living, safety indexes, health care indexes, property prices and more between two different cities or countries.
Winner: Dubai
Salaries
Better living conditions are possible only when you get better opportunities to earn. So, having a good life is possible only when you earn enough to support the expenses. Dubai and America are two of the most favourite career destinations in the world. Now the question is which one will pay you better?
Either in Dubai or in America, the job market is really diversified and both places are therefore able to accommodate a huge range of skilled people by paying them sincerely. Grabbing a job doesn’t come easy in any of these places but meticulous planning can help you to achieve your dream.
We are listing here some of the most sought-after professions from Dubai and America that expats often go after. You can compare the salaries side by side.
Please remember that your income in America is not tax-exempted like it is in Dubai. A foreign national earning in America is subject to pay federal tax on his/her U.S. source income at a more or less 30% flat rate. So, set aside the tax part from the annual income we mention in the American Salary column.
| Profession | Annual Salary in Dubai | Annual Salary in America |
| Accountant | 161,000 AED | 241,300 AED |
| Civil Engineer | 212,000 AED | 326,000 AED |
| Electrical Engineer | 222,000 AED | 325,000 AED |
| Business Development Manager | 371,000 AED | 534,000 AED |
| Teacher | 185,000 AED | 273,000 AED |
| Administrative Assistant | 121,000 AED | 190,000 AED |
| Graphic Designer | 148,000 AED | 225,500 AED |
| Air Traffic Controller | 249,000 AED | 378,000 AED |
| Mechanic | 83,000 AED | 134,000 AED |
| HR Manager | 372,000 AED | 543,5000 AED |
| Petroleum Engineer | 235,000 AED | 356,500 AED |
| Nurse | 185,000 AED | 285,000 AED |
| Doctor | 630,000 AED | 849,000 AED |
| Dentist | 579,000 AED | 874,000 AED |
| Hair Stylist | 100,000 AED | 160,,000 AED |
| Occupational Therapist | 298,000 AED | 445,000 AED |
| Bar Manager | 157,000 AED | 247,000 AED |
| Real Estate Agent | 213,000 AED | 317,000 AED |
| Web Developer | 214,000 AED | 303,000 AED |
The data featured in this table have been derived from SalaryExplorer.com which is a reliable website to compare salaries offered in different countries. Please note that salaries are highly variable as they are decided by a candidate’s academic brilliance, work experience and specific skill sets.
It is very evident from the above salary table that America pays better than Dubai. Even, the tax deduction can’t put American salaries down when compared with the Dubai ones. So, America is a better place to earn big money.
Winner: America
Career Opportunities
We have already showed how lucrative is the salary part in Dubai and America. But what about the chances of grabbing a job in any of these places?
We can’t deny that tax-free income and a flourishing economy are the two major reasons that lure millions of expats around the globe to settle in Dubai. In spite of the unprecedented turbulence in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic situation, UAE still managed to generate approximately 250,000 jobs in finance, retail, telecoms and technology sectors.
America took a hard blow in job market due to COVID-19 in the 2020. But the country has recovered fast during post-COVID scenario.
We are listing down the Unemployment Rates in Dubai and America over a couple of years to show how fast both the places have overcome the COVID-19 hangover and creating more job for the expats.
| Dubai | America | |
| Unemployment Rate | ||
| 2021 | 4.0% | 5.46% |
| 2020 (COVID-19 Pandemic Year) | 5.0% | 8.05% |
| 2019 | 2.35% | 3.67% |
The Unemployment Rate alone is never enough to gauge the actual job market seen but it is the most helpful layman’s tool to have a basic idea of the market. Although Dubai features less frightening Unemployment Rate American job market is surely more dynamic and diversified in order to create better job opportunities.
Winner: America
Things To Do & See
America and Dubai – are the most celebrated travel destinations in the world and we don’t want to pick just one! But we can’t really avoid that. With countless tourist attractions, iconic landmarks and engaging activities, both Dubai and America give a tough choice for wanderlusts.
Let’s take a look at the best things to do and see in these two places.
Best Things To Do & See in Dubai
- Burj Khalifa
- Dubai Mall
- Mall of Emirates
- Global Village
- Dubai Garden Glow
- Dubai Frame
- Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
- Safa Park
- Dubai Miracle Garden
- Dubai Marina
- Palm Jumeirah
- Jumeirah Beach and Jumeirah Beach Residence
- Boxpark
- Camel racing
- Sky Dive Dubai
- Water Sports
- Dune Bashing
- Iconic building architecture
- Scuba Diving
- Water Parks
Best Things To Do & See in America
The number of things to do and see in America is truly countless. We are just mentioning the best and the most popular ones. There are enough to look for beyond this list.
- Niagara Falls
- Maryland
- Fall foliage in New England
- Drive from Miami to Key West
- A day trip to St. Augustine
- Boundary Waters in Minnesota
- Watch a Michigan game at the Big House
- Great Lake
- Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
- Driving along the Pacific Coast Highway (Sothern California to San Francisco)
- Yellowstone National Park
- Bryce Canyon
- Cannon Beach
- Wine tour in Santa Barbara
- Glacier National Park in Montana
- Arch Rock Nature Trail
- Redwood National Park
- Mount Rushmore
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Vibrant gambling scene in Las Vegas
- The Grand Canyon’s North Rim
- Northern lights in Alaska
- Hawaii
- Hollywood in LA
- Universal Studio Hollywood
- Warner Bros. Studio
- Disneyland
- White House Washington, D.C.
- Statue of Liberty
- A visit to New York
- Exquisite nightlife
- Vibrant cultural scene
- ….And it goes on and on
Winner: America
Crime Rates
Before settling anywhere in the world, you must ensure how safe it is to give it a try. Doesn’t matter what insane amount of money you are earning from a job, moving to a foreign destination is never a good call if that place lacks safety issues.
If you are someone with a family, then you should not ignore the safety standards a city or country offers to its people. Check out what Dubai and America have for you and your family when it comes to safety in everyday life.
United Arab Emirates, which Dubai is a part of, records a Crime Rate Index of 14.87 and Safety Index of 85.13 against America’s Crime Rate Index of 48.41 and Safety Index of 51.59. Do we need to say more?
Please take a look at the table below to have a fair idea of which city is better to settle down with family and kids.
| Name of the City | Crime Index | Safety Index |
| Dubai | 16.30 | 83.70 |
| Los Angeles | 50.20 | 49.80 |
| London | 53.20 | 46.80 |
| New York | 47.19 | 52.81 |
| Sydney | 33.64 | 66.36 |
| Rio de Janeiro | 77.67 | 22.33 |
We guess, the data furnished in the table is self-explanatory. Dubai wins in this section without any close competition.
Winner: Dubai
Education
Moving to a new city or country with a school-going kid or college-pursuing young one? It is important to analyze the possibility of securing a quality education for them before changing your base. As a parent, it’s your responsibility and you can’t shrug it off!
Dubai is home to a number of excellent and world-class educational institutes. Many reputed and globally acclaimed colleges and universities have set up their international campuses in the city. Standard of education is exceptionally good in Dubai and that’s why your kids are not going to miss out on anything if you pick Dubai to move in.
There are many international schools in Dubai where expat kids can be well nurtured in a multi-national environment. The only drawback is Dubai doesn’t offer free education to children of foreign origins in their public schools.
Dubai offers a rewarding international student life with plenty of choices. You can check out our list of best universities in Dubai for international Students also.
On the other hand, public schooling is free to all in America. You have to pay for your kids if you choose private schooling for them. Education level in America is always good and it adopts best ways to be at per with global standards.
Private schooling both in Dubai and America will cost you huge.
America is earning a little extra point in this segment due to its free public schooling education policy to all.
Winner: America
Population Density
Population Density is one of the major factors to be taken into account before deciding on your new base in a foreign country. No one really likes cities with the overflowing crowd. A highly packed city or country is not a good choice to move in as it will surely lacking behind in civic standards, traffic control, healthcare facilities and pollution control segments.
If you consider the latest data, then America’s population density is 36 per square kilometre while Dubai stands at 762 per square kilometre. These numbers are enough to say it loud that Dubai is much populous than America.
Surprisingly, all major America cities are highly populated compared to Dubai. This is best possible explanation to all those impeccably impressive urban system and medical facilities that Dubai can offer.
So, it depends on the particular city in America where you are going to shift. On the other hand, the whole emirate of Dubai is never that overcrowded and always good to lead a peaceful life.
Winner: Dubai
Public Transport
We have reached the last segment and we will finish this classic face-off with public transport facilities available in Dubai and America. An effective public transport network is the key to having a wonderful city life as it helps daily commuters to slash down the time wasted on their way to home/office.
Dubai features a really upgraded and diversified public transport network that gives you trouble-free, seamless connectivity for getting around the city. There are several modes of transportation available here. You need to choose according to your preference and budget.
Dubai transport offers bus, metro, monorail, taxi, water taxi, and ferry services. Thanks to well-maintained highways, you can access every nook and corner of the city without wasting too much money and time.
What about American public transport? Well, some large cities in the USA feature different methods of public transportation including buses, taxis or trains. However, in most places, public transportation is not at all good. The frequency of stops is less and neighbouring places are not well connected. During your USA stay, you will have to rely on your private car for transportation in most cases.
Winner: Dubai
Which Is Better to Live?
As you can see, it was a close fight between Dubai and America. Dubai made a little extra point but that never claims America to be less good. We personally are slightly more in love with Dubai but that’s not the final judgment you have to follow. Moving to Dubai or America is your personal call to take. We wish you luck picking the best option for you, your family and your career.
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