Abu Dhabi vs Dubai: Difference and Comparison

There is a total of seven Emirates in the United Arab Emirates, and two of them are Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Abu Dhabi is small when seen in its geographic area; on the other hand, Dubai is Surpassingly stated as the second largest of all the other 7 Emirates present.

Both these Emirates are significant when it comes to their tourism.

Key Takeaways

  1. Abu Dhabi is the capital city and largest emirate of the UAE, while Dubai is the most populous city and commercial hub of the UAE.
  2. Abu Dhabi is more conservative and traditional, while Dubai is more cosmopolitan and modern.
  3. Abu Dhabi strongly emphasizes the oil and gas industries, while Dubai has diversified its economy to include tourism, finance, and real estate.

Abu Dhabi vs Dubai

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, is known for its oil industry, and is more conservative than Dubai, with a stronger emphasis on traditional culture and customs. Dubai is known for its tourism and real estate development and is more cosmopolitan and open to Western influences.

Abu Dhabi vs Dubai

When a tourist living in Western countries comes to Abu Dhabi, he might find this place very traditional and quiet with rich culture as compared to the Westernized cities. This place is said to be the land for business.

When a person wants to buy a house, he or she doesn’t need to worry about location as this place is pretty small and has access from any point.

Dubai is a place that is always crowded, full of tourists, and noisy. Dubai was made into the world of tourism.

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Life at night is as hectic and busy as in India or London. This is indeed a busy place by observation.

Dubai is a place that is popular for its spices and jewelry. One can enjoy a variety of jewels in gold, silver, and platinum, along with various spices.

Comparison Table

Parameters of ComparisonAbu DhabiDubai
Land areaThis has a smaller land area.This has a larger land area.
Cost of livingThis city has a lower cost of living as compared to Dubai.This city has a high cost of living as compared to Abu Dhabi.
CharacteristicThis place is the capital of the United Arab Emirates because of which it is more of a state involved in politics.This city has a glamorous and authentic look to its city.
PubsThere are hardly any pubs or bars present in one area in this city.There almost 10 bars present in one area of this city.
City lookThis city is a green city with aesthetics.This is a busy city from mornings to nights, just like India and London.
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What is Abu Dhabi?

When a tourist from Western countries comes to Abu Dhabi, he might find this place very traditional and quiet, with rich culture compared to the Westernized cities. This place is said to be the land for business.

When a person wants to buy a house, he or she doesn’t need to worry about the location.

This is because the land area of this place is pretty small and has access from any point. Taxis for rent or even normal taxis are available in numbers for traveling at a very minimal cost for a person.

There are so many fashionable pubs and bars in Dubai for so many people out there.

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This place looks more like a small attractive island than that of a city. For many problems, such as Repairing cars and bikes, one person needs to be a bit far from the main area.

The Palace of Emirates is the most famous attraction in Abu Dhabi. The Ferrari World and the Grand Mosque follow this.

abu dhabi

What is Dubai?

Dubai is a place that is always crowded, full of tourists, and noisy. Dubai was made into the world of tourism.

Life at night is as hectic and busy as in India or London. This is indeed a busy place by observation.

Dubai is a place that is popular for its spices and jewelry.

One can enjoy a variety of jewels in gold, silver, and platinum, along with various spices. In Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is one of the major tourist attractions.

Every year, there are millions of people come to Dubai to visit the Burj khalifa. It is one of the 7 wonders of the world.

Dubai Contributes amazing entertainment to its tourist. Due to the influence of Western culture in Dubai, this place is said to be more open-minded now than before.

Yearly, millions of people come to visit Dubai. Undoubtedly, the cost of living in Dubai is costly, but it is worth the money.

dubai

Main Differences Between Abu Dhabi and Dubai

  1. Abu Dhabi measures 972. 45 km2 of land size, and on the other hand, Dubai measures 4,114 km2 of land size.
  2. Abu Dhabi has a lower cost of living as compared to Dubai, and on the other hand, Dubai has a high cost of living as compared to Abu Dhabi.
  3. Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates, and so it is more of a state involved in politics. And on the other hand, Dubai is glamorous and authentic.
  4. Abu Dhabi has hardly any pubs in one area; on the other hand, Dubai has almost 10 pubs in each area.
  5. Abu Dhabi is a green city; on the other hand, Dubai is busy.
Difference Between Abu Dhabi and Dubai
References
  1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03068370601108624
  2. https://rsa.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13604813.2020.1843279

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About Author

Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.