Salaries and wealth by emirate
Abu Dhabi has the highest GDP per capita ($65,700), but Dubai holds the most private household wealth — an estimated $243,000 per adult versus $123,000 in Abu Dhabi. The gap exists because Abu Dhabi's oil revenue and its roughly $1.7 trillion in sovereign wealth funds are state assets, not household assets.
The seven emirates compared
| Emirate | Population | GDP per capita | Est. household wealth per adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 4.58M | $44,600 | $243,000 |
| Abu Dhabi | 4.14M | $65,700 | $123,000 |
| Sharjah | 1.8M | $32,100 | $83,000 |
| Ajman | 0.59M | $22,600 | $61,000 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 0.47M | $30,700 | $69,000 |
| Fujairah | 0.36M | $23,500 | $58,000 |
| Umm Al Quwain | 0.1M | $7,700 | $50,000 |
Household wealth per adult is a model estimate: the national wealth stock is allocated 55% by each emirate's share of resident millionaires and 45% by adult population weighted for income and property levels. Sovereign wealth funds are excluded throughout.
Why Dubai leads on private wealth
Dubai is home to about 81,200 resident dollar millionaires, 237 centi-millionaires and 20 billionaires, against roughly 20,000 millionaires in Abu Dhabi. Dubai's millionaire population grew 102% in the decade to 2024 and the city ranks 18th worldwide, the biggest climber in the global top 50.
Cost of living offsets higher Dubai pay
| Emirate | Typical 1-bed rent (per year) |
|---|---|
| Dubai | AED 68,000 – 82,000 |
| Abu Dhabi | AED 40,000 – 60,000 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | AED 26,000 – 60,000 |
| Sharjah | AED 37,000 – 43,000 |
| Ajman | AED 27,000 – 30,000 |
A Dubai one-bedroom costs roughly twice its equivalent in the northern emirates, which is why many workers employed in Dubai live in Sharjah or Ajman and commute.
Salaries by emirate
Emirate-level income data is the weakest part of the official record — results of the 2024 national Household Income and Expenditure Survey covering about 19,000 families were still unpublished as of mid-2026. Third-party estimates place average salaries within roughly 10% of each other across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with the northern emirates 10–15% lower.
Check your own percentile on the interactive dashboard →Frequently asked questions
- Which emirate has the highest salaries?
- Dubai and Abu Dhabi are close, with Dubai marginally ahead on average professional pay and Abu Dhabi ahead on public-sector and oil-sector roles. The northern emirates (Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah) run roughly 10–15% below Dubai.
- Is Abu Dhabi richer than Dubai?
- As a state, yes: Abu Dhabi has higher GDP per capita ($65,700 vs $44,600) and controls roughly $1.7 trillion in sovereign wealth funds. In private household wealth, Dubai leads — an estimated $243,000 per adult versus $123,000, and about four times as many resident millionaires.
- Why do people work in Dubai but live in Sharjah?
- Rent. A typical one-bedroom costs about AED 68,000–82,000 a year in Dubai against AED 37,000–43,000 in Sharjah, so the saving often exceeds the cost and time of commuting.