Dubai or Madrid: which is better?
World city: head-to-head comparison
Madrid wins on more indicators: 3 of 5 against 0.
- Climate and risks: Madrid 0:3
All indicators weigh the same. This is a score based on data, not advice on where to live: different people have different circumstances.
Dubai
Indicator
Madrid
Population
no winnerCity population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
2,956,587 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
3,255,944 people
GeoNames snapshot (all-the-cities 3.1.0 package, 2022), exact date not stated
Urban centre population
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
4,565,478 people
2025
5,680,137 people
2025
Urban centre area
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
854 km²
2025
680 km²
2025
Urban centre density
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
5,346 people per km²
2025
8,353 people per km²
2025
Urban centre population growth, 2015–2025
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
18.6 %
2015–2025
12.3 %
2015–2025
Climate and risks
Better: Madrid (0 : 3)Hot days (max ≥ +30 °C)
lower is better
✗255 days per year
2016-2025214% higher
✓81 days per year
2016-202568% lower
Frost days (min ≤ −10 °C)
tie
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Severe frost (min ≤ −20 °C)
tie
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
0.0 days per year
2016-2025
Ice days (max ≤ 0 °C)
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
0 days per year
2016-2025
0 days per year
2016-2025
Heating degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
1 °C·days per year
2016-2025
1,587 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Cooling degree days
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
4,505 °C·days per year
2016-2025
952 °C·days per year
2016-2025
Rainy days
no data for one of the places
no data
63 days per year
2016-2025
Annual precipitation
no data for one of the places
no data
472 mm per year
2016-2025
Daylight on December 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
10.6 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
9.3 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Daylight on June 21
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
13.7 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
15.1 hours
December 21 and June 21 (does not depend on the year)
Air humidity
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
51 %
2021-2025
59 %
2021-2025
Muggy days (dew point ≥ +20 °C)
lower is better
✗153 days per year
2021-2025
✓0 days per year
2021-2025
Distance to the sea
neutral indicator: higher does not mean better
13 km
2006-2025
303 km
2006-2025
Earthquakes M4.5+ within 100 km
lower is better
✗0.10 per year
2006-2025
✓0.00 per year
2006-2025
Strongest earthquake in the period
no data for one of the places
4.7 magnitude
2006-2025
no data
A winner is named only for indicators with a known “better / worse” direction. Population and other neutral indicators are shown without a winner. Outdated and missing values are not counted. Details for each place: Dubai, Madrid.