Dubai or Egypt in Winter: Sea Temperature, Weather, Visas, Prices

Four winter days compared

#1

JBR Beach and Dubai Marina City beach days with the skyline behind you

Dubai: a beach day on a free public beach

JBR Beach is free, lifeguarded and backed by cafes, with the Marina and the Bluewaters footbridge beside it. In winter the air is 24-27°C and the sea 22-26°C, so it suits a long afternoon with a short swim, not a day of snorkelling.

#2

Lahbab dunes, 45-60 minutes from the city Dunes, sunset and a camp evening

Dubai: a desert evening with dinner

A full-day desert safari from $45 collects you at your hotel and ends with dinner and shows at a camp. Winter evenings are cool, at 14-20°C in our month guides, so bring a light jacket.

#3

Egypt's Red Sea coast, near Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh Coral reefs and underwater days

Red Sea reef: snorkelling and diving

This is where Egypt wins. A coral reef within reach of the resort is the main reason to choose the Red Sea. The winter sea of 21-25°C is cool enough that a wetsuit is worth considering. Dubai's nearest natural reefs are 1.5-2 hours away on the east coast.

#4

Hurghada, Egypt's Red Sea coast Dry, sunny days beside the sea

Hurghada: a resort beach in dry weather

Hurghada's winter rainfall averages under 1 mm a month from December to February, against 10-21 mm in Dubai. Afternoons are 22-24°C and January nights fall to 11.6°C, so it is a resort stay with warm sun and cool evenings, rather than a hot beach week.

Dubai or Egypt in winter: the short answer

In winter Dubai is a little warmer than Egypt's Red Sea resorts, and the sea off Dubai is as warm as the Red Sea; Egypt is drier and has the coral reefs. Hurghada's average January afternoon is 22.2°C against 24.4°C in Dubai, and its average January night is 11.6°C against 15.3°C. The sea is about 22-24°C in both places in January and February. So the choice is not warm sea against cold sea. It is a reef holiday against a city, desert and sea holiday.

Both are good winter choices. Flights, entry costs and the kind of days you get are what differ. This guide uses long-term averages with named sources, and where Egypt is the better choice we say so. We run tours in Dubai, not in Egypt, so we do not quote Egyptian prices or tours.

Weather: Dubai is warmer, Egypt is drier

The table gives the mean daily high and low in °C. The figures are 30-year averages from NOAA, for Dubai International Airport, Hurghada International Airport and Sharm El Sheikh International Airport. Averages are not forecasts, so a single week can differ.

30-year averages from NOAA. Sharm el-Sheikh is slightly milder at night than Hurghada.

Dubai is about 2-3°C warmer by day from November to March, and 3-4°C warmer at night than Hurghada. In January that is the difference between 15°C and 12°C after dark, so Egypt's evenings need a proper jacket, and so does Dubai's desert camp.

Rain is where Egypt wins. Hurghada averages 0.6 mm in December, 0.7 mm in January and 0.5 mm in February, and Sharm el-Sheikh between 0.1 and 2.8 mm. Dubai averages 15 mm, 21 mm and 10 mm in the same months, usually as a short shower. Neither place has a wet winter, but Egypt is the drier of the two. Our Dubai in January guide covers the coolest month in detail.

Sea temperature: do not expect a warm Red Sea in January

Many visitors assume the Red Sea is warm all winter. The averages say it is not. The table uses seatemperature.org, which is based on NOAA satellite data, for Dubai and Sharm el-Sheikh, and Weather2Travel for Hurghada. The sources differ, so read a gap of one or two degrees as a tie.

Average sea temperatures: seatemperature.org (Dubai, Sharm el-Sheikh) and Weather2Travel (Hurghada). Different sources and periods.

Dubai's sea is warmer than the Red Sea at Hurghada in November and December and about the same from January to March. In February both are around 21-22°C, which is cool: a short swim on a sunny afternoon, or a wetsuit for snorkelling. Egypt does not offer a warmer winter swim. What it offers is the reef. Dubai's own sea has wrecks and artificial reefs with modest visibility, and divers drive about 130 km to the east coast for natural reefs; see our scuba diving guide.

Flights, visas and entry rules

Emirates lists the flight from Moscow to Dubai at 5 hours 35 minutes. We could not confirm flight times to Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh on an airline page, so we do not quote them. Compare the timetable of the airline you plan to use, for your own city.

For Egypt, Egypt Independent reported on 4 September 2026 that the visa-on-arrival fee for foreign tourists was raised from $25 to $30 in March 2026. It also reported that a standard administrative fee of $15 will apply from 1 January 2027 to entry visas, transit visas and some consular services, added on top of the base charge, under a Prime Minister's decree published in the Official Gazette on 30 August. The final cost for a 2027 trip may therefore depend on the visa type, so check the official Egyptian e-visa portal or your embassy.

Some guides say visitors who arrive at Sharm el-Sheikh and stay in the Sinai resort area can get a free Sinai-only entry stamp. An older Egypt Independent report mentioned it, and we could not confirm that the rule still applies, so ask your airline or the Egyptian embassy before you rely on it. It would not cover a trip to Hurghada, which is on the mainland.

Dubai is simpler for most passports. Many receive an entry permit at passport control, and Russian citizens are on the UAE Foreign Ministry's visa-free list for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Our guide to Dubai visa on arrival explains who qualifies. Rules change, so check the official list or your airline within a week of travel.

Prices: what we can and cannot compare

We do not run tours in Egypt and we have no sourced Egyptian prices, so we cannot say which holiday is cheaper. What we can do is list what to compare, so that the two totals are like for like:

• The visa. Egypt's visa on arrival is $30 per person, with a $15 administrative fee reported from 1 January 2027. For passports on Dubai's on-arrival list the permit is issued at passport control; check the official source for any fee.
• What the package includes. If you compare package holidays, check whether meals, drinks, transfers and excursions are in the price.
• The season. Dubai's hotel rates are highest from November to March, in the last two weeks of December and around Eid. Compare live prices for your exact dates in both places.
• Daily costs on the ground. Our own planning figures for Dubai are about AED 300-450 per person per day on a budget (roughly $80-120), AED 700-1,200 mid-range and from AED 2,000 in luxury, before flights.

Dubai's costs are easy to see in advance. Public beaches are free, the Metro costs AED 3-7.5 a ride, and our tours have fixed prices: the desert safari from $45 includes dinner and hotel pickup, and the shared yacht tour is from $32. The full breakdown is in how much a Dubai trip costs.

What you will actually do: reef or skyline

The better choice depends on what a normal day should look like. The table is honest about where Egypt wins.

For a longer view of Dubai's own winter, see best things to do in Dubai in winter. Before you choose Egypt, also check your government's travel advice for the areas you plan to visit.

Who should pick which

Choose by the one thing you cannot do without:

• Pick Egypt if coral reefs and snorkelling are the point, if you want dry weather above all, and if you are comfortable with cool evenings from December to February.
• Pick Dubai if you want warmer days and nights, a mix of city, desert and sea, and a simple border process for most passports.
• Pick Dubai for a mixed group, with teenagers, parents and grandparents, because there is something for each in the same week.
• Pick Egypt for a diving holiday and Dubai for a varied one. If you want the reef and the city, they are different trips.

If you choose Dubai, our sunrise balloon from $275 and the desert safari are the two winter activities that need booking first. For other comparisons, see Dubai or Thailand in winter and Dubai or Bali.

FAQ

Recommended Dubai tours for this guide

Recommended tour

Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai

It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.

Duration

7 hours

Area

Lahbab Desert, Dubai

Format

Full-day desert safari

Best for

families, couples and first-time desert visitors who want the full evening programme

From $45 per person No prepayment

View tour

Recommended tour

Dubai Marina Shared Yacht Tour

It is the most stylish way to see the skyline without paying for a private charter: a premium yacht with spacious decks and 5-star hospitality, a red carpet at the pier and the crew helping with photos against JBR and Ain Dubai. Full pre-payment secures your slot — the hourly departures sell out — and the yacht leaves strictly on time.

Duration

1 hour

Area

Dubai Marina

Format

Shared 1-hour sightseeing cruise

Best for

families, couples and anyone who wants the Marina skyline from the water without a private charter

From $32 per person Full prepayment

View tour

Recommended tour

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon in Dubai

It is the desert from above at first light: gazelles, oryx and camels in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, the Hajar Mountains on the horizon and the dunes turning gold. After landing a vintage Land Rover or SUV takes you to a private Bedouin camp for a gourmet breakfast (veg and non-veg options), a short camel ride and a falcon photo, and every guest gets an electronic flight certificate signed by the pilot.

Duration

4-5 hours

Area

Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve

Format

Shared sunrise balloon flight with breakfast

Best for

couples, photographers and anyone who wants the desert at sunrise from above

From $275 per person 30% deposit

View tour

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