‘I’m Moving to Live in Dubai, What Should I Expect?’

According to the Research Unit at Mashreq Bank and the Macroeconomic Research Centre in the UAE, the UAE’s population will increase to in excess of 6.41 million people by 2010 compared to 5.19 million in 2007.  In other words, the population of the UAE is predicted to increase by 18% by 2010 largely fuelled by expatriate arrivals.  And Dubai alone is expected to attract over 50% of these new expatriates!  So, if you’re moving to live in Dubai and you want to know what to expect from your new life, you are certainly not alone.

In this article we’ll explore what newly arrived expats living in Dubai can expect – covering both the good and the bad aspects of the emirate!

The Good Things About Living in Dubai

1) Dubai is an exciting and happening destination that cannot be ignored!  It is therefore the place to be if you want to enjoy your social life and your working life in the fast lane.

2) The climate in the emirate for 8 months of the year is perfect.  Long hot days dominated by cloudless blue skies and enhanced with beautiful warm seawaters.

3) The social side of life is fantastic and diverse.  Many expats join a hotel or private beach club when they arrive and spend much of their down time enjoying the facilities.  For others there are more sports and sports clubs closely concentrated together within the emirate than anywhere else in the world!  In the evenings the social side of life moves on to bars, clubs and restaurants with Dubai playing host to as wide a range of tastes as is probably possible!

4) The educational standards in Dubai are excellent and new schools and colleges are being constructed almost annually.

5) Every major international corporation has a base in Dubai – or so it seems!  This means that there are opportunities aplenty.

6) Income is tax free!

7) One can repatriate funds easily – therefore you can earn a fantastic salary in Dubai and send some of it home as well.

8) The emirate is increasingly accessible with its major international airport welcoming flights from across the world.

9) The shopping in Dubai is fantastic!

10) The standard of living is very high.

11) Crime is very low.

12) Dubai is a very tolerant emirate – tolerant of others’ beliefs and ways of life.  It is also one of the most moderate in terms of applying the rules of Islam to everyone’s every day life.  Therefore for example, expats are able to buy alcohol in Dubai and also they are allowed to eat and drink during the daylight hours of Ramadan.

13) Taxis are very cheap and the government is investing hugely into a public transportation system.

14) Cars and petrol are very cheap indeed!

15) It’s usual practice for families to have domestic help.

The Bad Things About Living in Dubai

1) Dubai is a bit of a bureaucratic headache especially for newly arrived expatriates who have to have licenses and permits for everything!  You need a permit to buy alcohol, a license to drive, a permit to work and a permit to reside in Dubai of course!  Get advice and assistance supplied and agreed up front from your employer to ease this initial period of adjustment that can actually put some people off staying in the emirate!

2) Unmarried couples are not allowed to live together – it’s actually the law.

3) The summer months from June to September are almost unbearably hot and many expats take holiday time off during this period to return home.  It can make it worse if you have children as for most of the day they will really need to stay indoors in air-conditioned rooms.

4) The traffic situation in Dubai is untenable.  It is so bad, so dangerous and so frustrating that it has a daily impact on the lives of those who have to commute or take children to school etc.  Okay, so the gridlock should be eased by the government’s program of investment into public transport systems, but these systems will not be in place for a few years.  In the meantime, taking a drive in Dubai is taking your life in your hands.

5) Public toilets are an unpleasant shock for Western expats.

6) Housing and schooling is incredibly expensive in Dubai.

7) The cost of living in Dubai is on a par with living in central London – i.e., it is VERY expensive!

8) Expat workers from non-Western or affluent backgrounds suffer some exploitation.

9) There is a certain amount of governmental censorship on films, access to websites and even the likes of SKYPE.  Some expats find this restrictive and frustrating.

10) Working hours can be very long and international companies operating in Dubai in particular do tend to expect an awful lot from their expatriate employees – possibly because the salaries are higher and improved by lack of tax they feel they have some sort of ownership of their employees? 

11) Dubai is currently a building site!  There are pockets of calm and oases of tranquillity across the emirate, but there is also frenetic and relentless development occurring which can make life a little tiring and stressful at times.

12) Inflation is massive in Dubai, fuelled by property and rental prices in particular.

13) Dubai is not exactly an environmentally friendly place nor is it the sort of place to live if you want to take long walks in quiet places!

14) If you arrive in Dubai on a flight in the late evening expect long, long queues at immigration!

15) Rent is due one year in advance and upfront.

Some Tips for Expats Moving to Dubai

1) Negotiate a good package with your employer that allows you money for housing and schooling.

2) Agree that your company will assist you with the transition to living in Dubai, giving you practical help and the time off needed to get all your licenses and permits in place!

3) Take about 30 passport-sized pictures of each member of the family with you and multiple copies of identification documents as you need them for everything.

4) Plan holidays away from Dubai during the intense heat of the summer sunshine.

5) Remember that there is a policy of ZERO TOLERANCE on drink driving.  You may well be caught, if caught you will go to prison.  Take a taxi.

6) During Ramadan you will be able to eat and drink during daylight hours, but in specially designated areas of your workplace or a restaurant.  Be respectful and mindful of the Muslim traditions.

7) Women, think about what you wear.  Whilst you do not have to cover yourself from head to toe, if you wear anything slightly revealing you will be stared at simply because you are an oddity!  Consider wearing trousers or long skirts as well as tops that cover your shoulders and do not reveal too much cleavage!

8) You’ll have to have post delivered to you at work or get a post office box.

9) Learn some Arabic.

10) Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar which is a lunar calendar meaning that the Holy Month moves forward by 12 days each year.

11) You should register with either your embassy or consulate in Dubai.

12) Get your children’s names down early with your preferred schools.

13) If you take medicines or drugs regularly, check that you can bring them in to Dubai legally.  Many drugs that we commonly used are illegal in Dubai and could result in you being imprisoned for drug trafficking if you attempt to enter the emirate with them.

14) Leave ALL non-essential prescription or over the counter drugs at home – it’s safer.

15) Take extra care on the roads, insist all members of the family buckle up at all times and try and keep your cool when all around you others are getting frustrated!

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