🇺🇸 United States vs 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
Side by side on the data that actually changes your life: prices, taxes, climate, air, safety. Every number has a source and a date.
Climate (capital)
Open-Meteo historical weather
Jan -2° · Jul 27° · Washington, D.C.
Jan 20° · Jul 35° · Abu Dhabi
Air quality (capital)
WAQI, capital station
AQI 36 · Good
AQI 85 · Moderate
Big Mac price
The Economist Big Mac index
$6.12
$5.17
Taxes on salary
OECD tax wedge, single average worker
~30% of labour cost (2025)
—
Special tax regimes
Official tax authorities, verified 2026-06
No inbound regime (worldwide taxation)
No personal income tax
Inflation
World Bank
3.0% / yr (2024)
1.3% / yr (2025)
Internet (median fixed)
Ookla Speedtest Global Index
~250 Mbps
~290 Mbps
English proficiency
EF English Proficiency Index
native
moderate
Messenger apps
OONI network measurements, 6-month window
All measured apps work
All measured apps work
Safety advisory
U.S. State Department travel advisory
Level 1 · Exercise Normal Precautions
Level 3 · Reconsider Travel
Foreign-born residents
World Bank migrant stock
15.2% of population (2024)
74.0% of population (2024)
Life expectancy
WHO
76 yrs
78 yrs
Currency
ISO 4217
USD
AED
Timezone (capital)
Open-Meteo
UTC-4
UTC+4
Climate, inflation and life expectancy verified 2026-07-07. Prices, taxes and air quality verified 2026-07-07. Sources shown per row.
Special tax regimes, verified
Regimes change often and many sites still advertise closed ones. We link the official source for each.
🇺🇸 United States
Residents are taxed on worldwide income
Verified 2026-06 · IRS
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
0% tax on salaries and personal income
Verified 2026-06 · Federal Tax Authority
Numbers are half the story
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