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.
- Highest GDP per capita
- Abu Dhabi, $65,700
- Highest wealth per adult
- Dubai, $243,000
- Dubai one-bedroom rent
- AED 68,000 to AED 82,000 a year
- Sharjah one-bedroom rent
- AED 37,000 to AED 43,000 a year
- Professional pay gap, north vs Dubai
- Roughly 8 to 12% lower
- Figures as of
- 5 August 2026
How do the seven emirates compare on pay and wealth?
| 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 does Dubai lead the UAE 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.
Does the cost of living cancel out 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.
What are typical salaries in each emirate?
On the professional salary index behind this site, the annual average runs AED 257,700 in Dubai, AED 253,400 in Abu Dhabi, AED 245,300 in Sharjah and AED 232,900 in Ajman, a spread of about 11% from top to bottom. Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have too little published salary data to index, which is itself the finding.
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 roughly 8–12% 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 8–12% 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.