Safest cities in United Arab Emirates
7 cities with 100k+ population · data updated 2026-09-04
What official travel advice warns about
Terrorism
- Terrorism in the UAETerrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Crime
- Protecting your belongingsTake sensible precautions to protect yourself and your belongings.
- Sexual assaultTake care when walking or travelling alone or at night, particularly if you are a woman. Use a reputable taxi company and do not accept lifts from strangers.
- Drink and food spikingDo not accept drinks from strangers or leave your drink unattended. Criminals can spike drinks and assault or rob you.
- Property scamsIf you want to buy property in the UAE, get appropriate professional advice as you would in the UK. FCDO has a list of lawyers for Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Laws and cultural differences
- Your passportUAE employers may ask foreign employees to deposit their passports with the company as part of their terms and conditions of employment. This is illegal under UAE labour law.
- Hotel regulationsYou cannot stay in a hotel if you’re under 18 years old and not accompanied by an adult.
- Pedestrian crossingsOnly cross roads using designated pedestrian crossings. It is illegal to cross in other places and you may face a fine or even imprisonment. Take care when crossing, as vehicles often do not stop at zebra crossings marked on the roads.
- RamadanRamadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. During this time, it may cause offence if you:
- Dress codeDress modestly in public areas like shopping malls:
- Swearing and rude gesturesIt is illegal to swear and make rude gestures, including online, as they are considered obscene acts. You could be jailed or deported. Take particular care when dealing with the police and other officials.
- Showing affection in publicShowing affection in public is frowned upon. You can be arrested for kissing in public.
- Sexual relationships outside marriageConsensual sexual relationships between a man and woman outside marriage are generally legal if both are aged 18 or over. This includes extra-marital sexual relationships. However, if either person’s spouse or parent/guardian files a criminal complaint, both parties of an extra-marital consensual relationship can get a prison sentence of 6 months…
- Financial crimeFinancial crimes, including fraud and the non-payment of bills (including hotel bills) can often result in a prison sentence, a fine, or both. You could also have your bank accounts and other assets frozen.
- Alcohol laws and bansDrinking or possessing alcohol is illegal in the Emirate of Sharjah, 30km north of Dubai.
- Illegal drugs penaltiesThere is zero tolerance for drugs-related offences.
- Fundraising and charitable actsFundraising and acts of charity are heavily regulated in the UAE. This includes online and social media activity. Check whether any of the activities you are planning to do in the UAE, or while travelling through the UAE, is illegal. Get legal advice if necessary.
- Taking photos in secure areasIt is illegal to take photos of some government buildings and military installations. Hobbies like bird watching and plane spotting may be misunderstood, particularly near military sites, government buildings and airports.
- Technical equipmentYou may need a licence to use equipment like satellite phones, listening or recording devices, radio transmitters, powerful cameras or binoculars. Get advice from the UAE Embassy in the UK.
- Media activityYou must apply for the appropriate permissions to carry out media activity, including the production, transmission or distribution of printed, digital, audio, video or visual information. Failure to do so could result in imprisonment and a substantial fine.
- LGBT+ travellersSame-sex sexual activity is illegal in the UAE, and same-sex marriages are not recognised.
Outdoor activities and adventure tourism
- Swimming safetyRip currents can occur at any beach and can sweep even the strongest swimmer out to sea. Check for warning signs, especially red flags which mean that swimming is dangerous. Only swim from approved beaches where there are lifeguards and flags indicating it is safe to swim .
Transport risks
- TaxisUse only licensed taxis or other recognised forms of public transport, which includes apps like ‘Careem’, ‘Uber’ and Abu Dhabi Taxi. In Dubai authorised taxis are painted cream with different coloured roofs – taxis with pink roofs have female drivers. In Abu Dhabi taxis are painted silver/grey.
- Road travelIf you are planning to drive in the UAE, see information on driving abroad and check the UAE traffic portal.
- Driving standardsDriving standards are not always as disciplined as in the UK and there is a high rate of traffic accidents. Speeding is common, despite clearly signposted legal limits and widespread use of speed cameras.
- Rules of the roadIt is illegal to drink and drive, no matter how small the amount, and your insurance is likely to be invalidated in the event of an accident.
- Driving in the desertExcursions to the desert can be dangerous unless you’re in a properly equipped 4-wheel-drive vehicle. Always travel with other cars, take a supply of water and a mobile telephone. Leave a copy of your travel plans with relatives, friends or where you are staying.
- Sea travelBe careful when travelling by tourist boat. The safety of these vessels may not be up to UK standards. Make sure life jackets are available for all passengers.
Extreme weather and natural disasters
- FloodingHeavy rain in the UAE can cause flooding. Check weather forecasts from the National Centre of Meteorology, and follow advice from the local authorities. Sources for up-to-date information include local radio and online media outlets The National and The Khaleej Times.
Headings and opening lines from the UK FCDO “Safety and security” travel advice for United Arab Emirates, updated 2026-07-24 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Read the full advice on gov.uk →
Country figures
- Homicide rate
- 0.52 /100k2023
- Income inequality
- Gini 26.42018
- Human development
- HDI 0.9402023
- Income
- $81,640/yrGNI per capita PPP
- Road deaths
- 8.9 /100kWHO, 2019
- Political stability
- 79/100WGI, 2024 · higher = more stable
- Rule of law
- 66/100WGI, 2024
- Corruption perceptions
- 69/100Transparency Intl, 2025 · higher = cleaner
- Natural-hazard risk
- 2.3/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Women, Peace & Security
- 0.87GIWPS, 2025 · 0-1, higher = better
- Air quality
- 57.2 µg/m³PM2.5, 2023 · WHO guideline is 5
- Safe drinking water
- 99%of population, 2024 · WHO/UNICEF JMP
- Healthcare capacity
- 3.0 doctors /1k1.9 hospital beds per 1,000
- Malaria
- 0 /1k at riskWHO, 2024 · endemic countries only
Natural hazards
- Tsunami
- 6.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
- Drought
- 5.0/10EU INFORM, 2026 · higher = riskier
Hazard types scoring under 1 out of 10 are not listed.
Same-sex sexual activity is criminalized in United Arab Emirates, with the death penalty applying in law (as of 2025). This describes the law on the books, not necessarily enforcement practice.
How United Arab Emirates compares
| Measure | United Arab Emirates | World median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.5 /100k | 2.4 /100k | −1.9 /100k — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 26.4 | 35.2 | −8.8 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.940 | 0.763 | +0.177 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Road deaths | 8.9 /100k | 15.4 /100k | −6.5 /100k — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Rule of law | 66/100 | 52/100 | +14/100 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Corruption perceptions | 69/100 | 39/100 | +30/100 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 57.2 µg/m³ | 19.7 µg/m³ | +37.5 µg/m³ — better for World median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 3.8/10 | −1.5/10 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Measure | United Arab Emirates | Asia median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide rate | 0.5 /100k | 1.8 /100k | −1.2 /100k — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Income inequality (Gini) | 26.4 | 33.6 | −7.2 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Human development (HDI) | 0.940 | 0.766 | +0.174 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Road deaths | 8.9 /100k | 15.3 /100k | −6.4 /100k — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Rule of law | 66/100 | 52/100 | +14/100 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Corruption perceptions | 69/100 | 35/100 | +35/100 — better for United Arab Emirates |
| Air quality (PM2.5) | 57.2 µg/m³ | 26.7 µg/m³ | +30.5 µg/m³ — better for Asia median |
| Natural-hazard risk | 2.3/10 | 3.7/10 | −1.4/10 — better for United Arab Emirates |
Medians, not means, so one extreme country cannot drag the reference value. Each row compares only the countries that have a published figure for that measure, and differences are plain arithmetic between stored values.
All 7 cities, safest first
- Al Ain89.1 · #97 worldwide
- Ras Al Khaimah89.1 · #98 worldwide
- Al Saja'a Industrial89.1 · #99 worldwide
- Abu Dhabi85.4 · #213 worldwide
- Al Falah85.4 · #214 worldwide
- Khalifa City85.4 · #215 worldwide
- Dubai85.3 · #226 worldwide