Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Inflation
Inflation in 2025: 2% a year in Saudi Arabia and 1.3% a year in United Arab Emirates, by IMF estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 0.8 percentage points, or 1.62 times that in United Arab Emirates.
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 2025, when it overtook United Arab Emirates.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 118 and United Arab Emirates ranked 138 of 179 countries, counting from the highest.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Saudi Arabia at 2% a year and United Arab Emirates at 2% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 2024 | 1.5 | 1.7 |
| 2023 | 2.5 | 1.6 |
| 2022 | 2.5 | 4.8 |
| 2021 | 3.1 | -0.1 |
| 2020 | 3.2 | -2.1 |
| 2019 | -2 | -1.9 |
| 2018 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| 2017 | -0.9 | 2 |
| 2016 | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| 2015 | 1.2 | 4.1 |
| 2014 | 1.8 | 2.3 |
| 2013 | 3.1 | 1.1 |
| 2012 | 2.9 | 0.7 |
| 2011 | 3.7 | 0.9 |
| 2010 | 3.7 | 0.9 |
| 2009 | 4.3 | -4.7 |
| 2008 | 6.1 | 12.3 |
| 2007 | 5 | 11.1 |
| 2006 | 1.9 | 9.3 |
| 2005 | 0.6 | 6.2 |
| 2004 | 0.3 | 5 |
| 2003 | 0.5 | 3.1 |
| 2002 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
| 2001 | -1.1 | 2.8 |
| 2000 | -1 | 1.3 |
| 1999 | -2.1 | 2.1 |
| 1998 | -0.4 | 2 |
| 1997 | -0.2 | 3 |
| 1996 | 0.3 | 3 |
| 1995 | 5.1 | 4.3 |
| 1994 | 1.4 | 5.7 |
| 1993 | 1.2 | 5.3 |
| 1992 | -1 | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 3.9 | 3.4 |
| 1990 | -1.1 | 0.6 |
| 1989 | 1.2 | 2.8 |
| 1988 | -0.4 | 5 |
| 1987 | -2.4 | 5.5 |
| 1986 | -3.1 | 5.4 |
| 1985 | -2.3 | 3.5 |
| 1984 | -0.7 | 2.4 |
| 1983 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
| 1982 | 1.9 | 7.1 |
| 1981 | 3.6 | 7.9 |
| 1980 | 4.4 | 10.1 |
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1.9 | 4.5 |
| 2027 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| 2028 | 2 | 2 |
| 2029 | 2 | 2 |
| 2030 | 2 | 2 |
| 2031 | 2 | 2 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much consumer prices rose in a year, on average.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 179 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates
Health
- Life expectancySaudi Arabia: 78.7 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 82.9 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySaudi Arabia: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024United Arab Emirates: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySaudi Arabia: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Arab Emirates: 4.9 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionSaudi Arabia: 3.54% in 2017United Arab Emirates: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateSaudi Arabia: 2.9 per 100,000 people in 2017United Arab Emirates: 5.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSaudi Arabia: 33.3 million people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 10.6 million people in 2023
- Population growthSaudi Arabia: 2.39% a year in 2023United Arab Emirates: 3.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSaudi Arabia: 2.28 births per woman in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.2 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSaudi Arabia: 84.6% in 2025United Arab Emirates: 86% in 2025
- Median ageSaudi Arabia: 29.3 years in 2023United Arab Emirates: 31.2 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSaudi Arabia: 2.8% in 2023United Arab Emirates: 1.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateSaudi Arabia: 9.8 per 1,000 people in 2023United Arab Emirates: 28.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSaudi Arabia: 6.48% of GDP in 2025United Arab Emirates: 5.64% of GDP in 2014
- Military spending in US dollarsSaudi Arabia: $81.5B in 2025United Arab Emirates: $27.8B in 2014
- Military spending per personSaudi Arabia: $2,428 in 2025United Arab Emirates: $2,840 in 2014
- Military share of state spendingSaudi Arabia: 23.5% of government spending in 2025United Arab Emirates: 17% of government spending in 2014
- Armed forces personnelSaudi Arabia: 282,000 people in 2020United Arab Emirates: 63,000 people in 2020
- National powerSaudi Arabia: 1.34% of world capability in 2022United Arab Emirates: 0.47% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSaudi Arabia: 1.92% of the labour force in 2020United Arab Emirates: 1.02% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSaudi Arabia: 3.04 billion TIV in 2025United Arab Emirates: 868 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSaudi Arabia: 3 million TIV in 2023United Arab Emirates: 33 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personSaudi Arabia: 18.48 tonnes in 2024United Arab Emirates: 18.26 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersSaudi Arabia: 100% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Access to electricitySaudi Arabia: 100% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 100% in 2024
- Forest areaSaudi Arabia: 1.3% in 2024United Arab Emirates: 4.6% in 2024