Egypt vs UAE: Pay, Prices and Moving Rules (2026)

What this page compares and why the numbers are not like-for-like

This page sets out figures that official bodies in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates print, each with its own currency (Egyptian pounds, EGP, and UAE dirhams, AED), unit, reference period and date. It does not convert currencies, annualise, average or rank them, and it gives no advice. The figures are not like-for-like. Egypt's statistics agency CAPMAS prints wage averages for 2024, including by economic activity, and the official pages we read do not state average pay by occupation. The two Egyptian inflation series below, the total-republic rate from CAPMAS and the urban rate reported by the Central Bank of Egypt, are different series. The Egyptian private-sector minimum wage sentence prints no time unit. The UAE's AED 6,000 federal minimum wage covers Emiratis in the private sector only, and the measured UAE-wide inflation figures we read are for 2025, with 2026 figures for Abu Dhabi and Dubai only. One UAE ministry page below describes Egypt's rules for UAE nationals; it is not an Egyptian page. Where the official pages we read do not state a figure, this page says so.

moic.gov.eg: The First Meeting of the National Wages Council (decision on the private-sector minimum wage) capmas.gov.eg: Annual bulletin of employment, wages and working hours 2024 (CAPMAS release, Arabic) capmas.gov.eg: Consumer price indices, August 2026 (CAPMAS monthly release, Arabic) cbe.org.eg: CPI Press Release August 2026 (inflation data for August 2026) u.ae: Employing Emiratis in the private sector centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, September 2026 centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, June 2026 centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, March 2026 mofa.gov.ae: Emirates travel requirements by destination: Arab Republic of Egypt

Minimum wage in Egypt

A news item of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, dated Sunday 9 February 2025, says the National Wages Council decided to raise the minimum wage for private-sector workers to 7,000 EGP, effective 1 March 2025; the sentence prints no time unit. The same item says that, for the first time, the council set a minimum wage for part-time work, a net hourly wage of no less than 28 EGP. Separately, a State Information Service item credited to MENA says the Minister of Finance said on 11 April 2026 that the new increase raises the minimum income for state employees to EGP 8,000, to be disbursed with the July payroll. On 1 April 2026 the Prime Minister announced that the minimum wage will rise to 8,000 EGP per month from July, a 1,000 EGP increase approved as part of the next fiscal year's state budget measures. The State Information Service item on that announcement, credited to Ahram Online, does not name a sector, and the official pages we read do not state that 8,000 EGP is the private-sector minimum. The official pages we read show no later National Wages Council decision on the private-sector minimum.

moic.gov.eg: The First Meeting of the National Wages Council (decision on the private-sector minimum wage) sis.gov.eg: Minister of Finance: Wage allocations in new budget to rise to EGP 821 billion sis.gov.eg: Egypt to raise minimum wage to 8,000 pounds from July: Cabinet

Minimum wage in the UAE

The UAE federal portal says the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has set the minimum monthly wage for Emiratis working in the private sector at AED 6,000, effective 1 January 2026 (page updated 12 Aug 2026). The page speaks only of Emirati citizens. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, in an English text hosted on the portal that carries the note that it is not an official translation, says in article 27 that the Cabinet may, on the proposal of the Minister and in coordination with the concerned authorities, issue a resolution to determine the minimum wage for workers or any category of them. The article sets no amount, and the Decree-Law says it is enforced as of 2 February 2022. The official pages we read do not state a minimum wage for non-Emiratis.

u.ae: Employing Emiratis in the private sector u.ae: Federal Decree-Law No. (33) of 2021 Regarding the Regulation of Employment Relationships (English text hosted on the UAE Government portal)

Pay statistics in Egypt and the UAE

Egypt: CAPMAS's annual bulletin of employment, wages and working hours for 2024, released on 6 January 2026, gives an average monthly wage of 6,336 EGP for workers in the public/public business sector and the private sector together, against 5,005 EGP in 2023, an increase of 26.6%. It gives 14,660 EGP for the public/public business sector against 5,796 EGP for the private sector and, for both sectors together, 6,523 EGP for males and 5,529 EGP for females; the release titles its table the average monthly cash wage in pounds. Average monthly working hours were 219 for both sectors together and 221 in the private sector. By economic activity, not by occupation, the release prints 19,897 EGP for financial intermediation and insurance and 12,897 EGP for information and communications. UAE: the official pages we read do not state an average or median wage amount, so no UAE figure is set beside these.

capmas.gov.eg: Annual bulletin of employment, wages and working hours 2024 (CAPMAS release, Arabic)

Prices and inflation in Egypt

CAPMAS's consumer price release of 10 September 2026 states that the general consumer price index for the total republic was 289.8 points in August 2026, keeping the July 2026 level, and that annual inflation for the total republic was 12.7% in August 2026, against 13.0% in July 2026. In the same release the housing, water, electricity and gas section is up 33.0% on August 2025, with the actual housing rent group up 28.0%, and up 1.9% on July 2026, with the actual housing rent group up 0.8%. These are index changes, not rents in pounds, and the official pages we read state no average rent in pounds. The Central Bank of Egypt, reproducing urban data that CAPMAS released on 10 September 2026, says urban headline inflation was 14.5% on an annual basis in August 2026 (14.9% in July 2026). The 12.7% figure covers the total republic and the 14.5% figure urban areas: they are different series, and this page does not mix them.

capmas.gov.eg: Consumer price indices, August 2026 (CAPMAS monthly release, Arabic) cbe.org.eg: CPI Press Release August 2026 (inflation data for August 2026)

Prices and inflation in the UAE

The Central Bank of the UAE's March 2026 review, crediting the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, says inflation in the UAE averaged 1.3% in 2025, with averages of 0.3% for Abu Dhabi and 2.8% for Dubai. The reviews we read print measured 2026 inflation only for those two emirates; for the UAE as a whole they print only forecasts, which this page does not use. The June 2026 review, crediting SCAD and the Data Dubai Platform, says Abu Dhabi's inflation averaged 1.4% year-on-year in January-February 2026 and Dubai's 3.7% in January-April 2026. The September 2026 review says Dubai's headline CPI inflation reached 5.3% year-on-year in Q2 2026, and that the housing, water, electricity and gas category, which accounts for 37.6% of the basket, stood at 7.3% year-on-year in Q2 2026, compared with 7.4% in Q1 2026, reflecting what it calls a slight moderation in residential rents and housing-related utility costs. These are price-index changes, not average rents. The official pages we read state no measured UAE-wide 2026 inflation rate and no average rent amount.

centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, September 2026 centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, June 2026 centralbank.ae: Quarterly Economic Review, March 2026

Income tax and tax residence

Egypt: a law amending the Income Tax Law, published in the Official Gazette in February two thousand and twenty-four (later amendments not checked), prints the tax rates in a table whose rate cells are zero, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-two and a half, twenty-five and twenty-seven and a half per cent, by income band; this page does not reproduce the bands. The law sets an annual personal exemption of twenty thousand pounds for the taxpayer. UAE: the federal portal states that the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals and levies 5 per cent value added tax on the purchase of goods and services. A Federal Tax Authority guide (November 2023) says the Corporate Tax Law does not apply to a natural person's employment income. A second guide from the same authority (October 2024) says a natural person is a Tax Resident if they meet at least one of three conditions, the first being physical presence in the UAE for 183 days or more within the relevant 12 consecutive months.

eta.gov.eg: Law amending the Income Tax Law of 2005 (Official Gazette, 21 February 2024; Law No. 7 of 2024), as published on the Egyptian Tax Authority website u.ae: Taxation tax.gov.ae: Taxation of Natural Persons under the Corporate Tax Law (Corporate Tax Guide CTGTNP1) tax.gov.ae: Tax Resident and Tax Residency Certificate (Tax Procedures Guide TPGTR1)

Social contributions and insurance in the UAE

The federal portal (page updated 30 Dec 2024) says there are no pension schemes for expatriate workers in the UAE; they are entitled to end of service gratuity, calculated according to the number of years in service. On unemployment insurance (page updated 8 Dec 2025), all employees in the federal government sector and the private sector must participate by purchasing an insurance policy; investors, domestic workers, employees with temporary contracts and juveniles under 18 are excluded, as are Emirati citizens who have met the conditions for retirement or retirees who receive a pension and have joined a new job; the worker pays the premium for a basic package, no more than 5 AED per month if the basic salary is less than 16,000 AED and no more than 10 AED per month if it is more than 16,000 AED. On health insurance (page updated 8 Sep 2026), from 1 January 2025 employers must purchase a policy as a prerequisite for applying for or renewing residency permits of private-sector employees and domestic workers. The page says this does not apply to employees with work permits issued before 1 January 2024 that remain valid, until their residency permits are due for renewal. The system is mandatory in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and will extend to private sector workers in Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah, and the basic package costs AED 320 per year.

u.ae: Pension schemes for expatriate workers in private and government sectors u.ae: Insurance against job loss (Unemployment Insurance scheme) u.ae: Getting a health insurance

Moving from Egypt to the UAE: entry and work permit

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs list titled Visa information to enter the country prints Visa Required next to the Arab Republic of Egypt and Visa Free next to other nationalities, for example Ecuador and El Salvador; the page prints no date. The federal portal (page updated 4 Jul 2025) says that to enter the UAE for employment the employer must first issue an official work offer under the standard employment contract adopted by MoHRE, signed by both sides and registered with the ministry, after which the employer can apply for a work permit. The permit allows the worker to enter the UAE and stay for two months until the employer finalises the residence permit, valid for two years or one year depending on the contract, and UAE law requires the employer to pay the costs of the entry visa and travel. The standard work visa is for employees of the government and private sectors and the employer must apply for it (page updated 7 Aug 2026). The portal's work permit page (updated 24 Sep 2026) says issuing and renewing a work permit costs from AED 250 to AED 3,450 depending on company classification A, B or C: a range, not a single fee. At emirate level, Dubai's GDRFA describes a work entry visa for sixty (60) days from entry (no date printed).

mofa.gov.ae: Visa information to enter the country (list of nationalities: visa free / visa required) u.ae: Employment of expatriates in privately held companies u.ae: Work visa u.ae: Work permits gdrfad.gov.ae: Visa Issuance for Foreigners linked with Job Contract

Moving from Egypt to the UAE: Green and Golden residence and family

Green Residence (ICP page last updated September 12, 2026) is granted for five years, with the option of renewal, and lets holders live and work in the UAE without a sponsor; for skilled workers the key requirements include a valid employment contract in the UAE, a MoHRE professional classification from levels 1 to 3, at least a bachelor's degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000 or its equivalent in foreign currencies. Golden Residency for skilled professionals in senior occupational levels (page last updated September 10, 2026) lists, for its specialised professionals category, a valid work permit under an approved employment contract, at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 or its equivalent in foreign currency. On family, the federal portal (page updated 28 Sep 2026) says expatriate residents may bring in a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 years old and children with special needs, with a sponsor minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, that Green visa holders may also sponsor first-degree relatives, and that the conditions are subject to change. ICP says Golden Residency allows residence permits for spouses and children regardless of age and for parents. The federal portal lists, among MoHRE's work permit types, one that enables companies to hire residents under family sponsorship from within the UAE.

icp.gov.ae: Green Residence Guide icp.gov.ae: Golden Residency Guide u.ae: Residence visa for families of employees u.ae: Work permits

Moving from the UAE to Egypt: e-Visa portal

Egypt's e-Visa portal says nationals of the countries it lists may be issued with an e-Visa, and the list includes the United Arab Emirates; its FAQ describes a Tourism Visa for persons whose nationalities require visas to enter Egypt; the same FAQ says a citizen of a foreign country wishing to enter Egypt generally must first obtain an e-Visa via the portal, and it does not name UAE nationals separately. Its disclaimer says a visa is required prior to entry into Egypt and that engaging in any form of business or employment without a requisite permit or pass is an offence. Neither page prints a date.

visa2egypt.gov.eg: Egypt e-Visa Portal: FAQ visa2egypt.gov.eg: Egypt e-Visa Portal: Disclaimer

Moving from the UAE to Egypt: entry and residence card

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs page for Egypt, written for UAE nationals and last modified 21-08-2026, lists the Normal passport as Visa On Arrival, gives 90 days for tourism, study, treatment and work, with a single entry tourism visa for $30 on arrival at the airport, and says UAE nationals must apply for a residence permit card within the first three months of arrival; the same page also says a residence card must be issued if six months have passed since the citizen's residence in Egypt, and this page does not reconcile the two. This is the UAE ministry describing Egypt's rule, and this page does not reconcile it with the e-Visa listing.

mofa.gov.ae: Emirates travel requirements by destination: Arab Republic of Egypt

Moving from the UAE to Egypt: work licence

In Egypt's Labour Law, article 71 says a foreigner may not work inside the country without a licence from the competent ministry and authorisation to enter and reside there for work, and article 70 makes foreigners' work subject to the condition of reciprocity, which the competent minister may waive. Article 71 also says the competent minister issues a decision on the licence's conditions and procedures and the fee collected for it, at not less than five thousand pounds and not more than one hundred and fifty thousand pounds; that decision could not be confirmed. The UAE ministry's agreements list shows under Egypt a Convention on the Regulation of the Use of Manpower; only titles are printed. On the general rules for residence and family joining for foreigners in Egypt, the official pages we read do not set them out.

labour.gov.eg: Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law (Official Gazette, issue 18 supplement, 3 May 2025; copy hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Arabic) mofa.gov.ae: Agreements (UAE bilateral agreements by country)

What changed recently or is about to change: wages and contributions

Egypt: on 16 September 2026 the cabinet approved a draft Prime Ministerial decision on the working system of the National Wages Council; the draft says the Council sets the minimum wage for workers in all sectors at the national level and meets at least every six months, and the page describes a draft, so its adoption and publication were not confirmed. The April 2026 statements on the minimum wage are described under minimum wage in Egypt. From 1 January 2026 NOSI's minimum and maximum contribution wages are 2,700 EGP and 16,700 EGP. UAE: the AED 6,000 Emirati minimum wage applies from 1 January 2026.

sis.gov.eg: Cabinet approves 10 decisions at its weekly meeting, including the draft decision on the working system of the National Wages Council (Arabic) nosi.gov.eg: Social insurance: raising the minimum and maximum contribution wage from 1 January 2026 (National Organization for Social Insurance news item, Arabic) u.ae: Employing Emiratis in the private sector

What changed recently or is about to change: Labour Law and entry visas

Egypt's Labour Law (Law No. fourteen of two thousand and twenty-five) was published in the Official Gazette on 3 May two thousand and twenty-five; under article 13 of the issuing law it applies from the first day of the month following the end of ninety days from its publication, so the page gives a rule, not a date, and article 11 says the minister issues the implementing decisions within a period not exceeding ninety days from the date the law takes effect, with the decisions in force continuing to apply meanwhile as far as they do not conflict with the new law. In the UAE, on 25 June 2026 ICP added Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa, alongside India, to its list of nationalities for the 14-day and 60-day Entry Visa for Nationals of Certain Countries, which also requires a valid residence permit from listed countries such as the United States, European Union member states or the United Kingdom; Egypt is not among the nationalities it names.

icp.gov.ae: Six New Nationalities and Six Additional Countries of Residence Added to Eligibility Criteria labour.gov.eg: Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labour Law (Official Gazette, issue 18 supplement, 3 May 2025; copy hosted by the Ministry of Labour, Arabic)

What this page does not cover

This page does not cover residence for foreigners in Egypt and family joining there, the current Egyptian implementing decision on foreign work licences and the fee it sets within the range in article 71 of the Labour Law, average rents, average earnings in the UAE, the text of the manpower convention between the two countries, cost-of-living comparisons, benefits, which country suits you or advice. Check the official pages for them. Nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice, and nothing says whether you would qualify for any visa. Confirm every figure and rule on the official page before acting.