Expats Tell What It’s Really Like to Live in Dubai

It’s one expensive city

By Leah Leinkram | Originally published on tettybetty

Dubai is a cosmopolitan like no other. It attracts expats from all over the world, coming together in this bustling city, with a foreign population of over 85%. Whilst there are a lot of residents that come from Western countries, this business hub of the Middle East retains a lot of its traditional Islamic practices and traditions, which often translate into rules and laws that all residents must abide by.

Some of these may be seemingly outrageous, like potential jail time for public displays of affection, but all laws aside, this city has all the glitz and glamor that seem only to exist in movies and magazines. From police officers driving around in Ferraris to ATMs dispensing gold, Dubai offers a high-rolling lifestyle that is parallel to none. It has one of the youngest average age populations, making it an exciting, young, and fun city. Here is what it is really like to live in Dubai, according to expats.

It’s one expensive city

It may be seemingly so obvious to some, but the cost of living in Dubai is pretty unimaginable. Once you add up how much rent, bills and groceries are, it can amount to a fairly large sum.

When people hear of the salaries being offered in Dubai, they are often dazzled by the high numbers. But don’t be fooled – these salaries may just be enough to cover a decent lifestyle. Some people envision life in Dubai as sipping martinis and driving a sports car, but that is pretty much false.

There is no income tax

Whilst it is very easy to spend a lot of money and go wild in Dubai, there is one money-saving perk that sets this place aside from everywhere else.

There is no income tax in Dubai, meaning that your very attractive salary will remain very attractive once it has been paid to you and enters your bank account. This is unlike other countries that sometimes make it feel as though most of your earnings are going towards taxes.

Celebrities are not uncommon

Dubai is a city that many celebrities have also decided to call their home, or at least for some, their home away from home. For example, Lindsay Lohan purchased a piece of land right off the coast of Dubai, on The World Islands.

She plans on redeveloping the land and calling it ‘Lohan Island.’ Another celebrity couple who has purchased property in Dubai is Victoria and David Beckham, who own a home in the iconic Burj Khalifa and a villa in Palm Jumeirah.

Abide by the rules

This one is an actual must. If you want to avoid trouble and stay safe in Dubai, it is of vital importance to always adhere to the rules and laws. These may seem a little strange and unfamiliar, like any expression of public affection.

Yet, even the smallest law that is broken can have consequences that are as dramatic as being arrested, or even, in some extreme cases, deported. Therefore, if you wish to stay in Dubai, avoid situations like photographing strangers and public intoxication.

There are a lot of strange laws

The laws in Dubai are sometimes pretty obscure, despite the city being multicultural and, for the most part, an open-minded environment.

However, you could face jail time for gossiping, swearing online and in real life, fundraising for a charity without a special license, and even carrying around food containing poppy seeds! Even intimacy before marriage is considered against the law, and doing so could mean a minimum of one year spent in jail.

Weekends are… when?!

Whilst in most places we know, the weekend occurs over Saturday and Sunday, in the United Arab Emirates, this is not the case. In Dubai, work begins on a Sunday, with the weekend taking place on Friday and Saturday.

The reason for this is that Friday is considered to be a holy day in Islam, therefore, people should not be working on that day. Although it seems a bit confusing in the beginning, expats quickly learn to say ‘TGIT,’ Thank God It’s Thursday.

The police drive cool cars

If you ever do find yourself being caught eating a poppy seed bagel, and the next minute you are in the back of a police car in Dubai being whisked away to pay for your heinous crime, be sure to take a moment of this stressful situation to check out the vehicle you are in.

Seeing a police emblem on a brand-new luxury car, like a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes, or Bugatti, is not an uncommon sight in this city.

It is super safe

Because of all these strict laws and rules that are enforced in Dubai, there is an extremely low crime rate in the city. Dubai is ranked as one of the safest cities in the entire world.

Not only is there police patrol giving the citizens a full sense of security 24/7, but the public transport system is closely monitored and safe for use no matter the time. That same cannot be said for many Western cities!

Make friends from all over the world!

Dubai is known to be an extremely multicultural city. More than 85% of the population in Dubai consists of expats – people who have made the move to this beautiful city from all four corners of the globe.

It is really important to be open-minded in this city, and not have any preconceived prejudices or biased opinions on other cultures and nationalities. Most circles of friends will likely have people from extraordinarily diverse backgrounds, so be respectful and open to different people.

A youthful city

What probably adds to the hustle and bustle of Dubai is the young age demographic that makes up this city. Over half of the population in Dubai is aged between 25 to 34, making it an extraordinarily youthful city.

This also means that many of the attractions and activities in Dubai are geared towards targeting that age group. It is surprising for some people to discover that only 15% of the population in Dubai is over 45.

Tuesday nights are for the ladies

We apologize boys, but this piece of information from the expats is purely for the ladies! Whilst Dubai does have an active nightlife, with bars and clubs being open and with overflowing crowds almost every night of the week, the best night for a girl’s night is a Tuesday.

Nearly every club and bar in Dubai has a ladies' night offer on a Tuesday, which usually includes drinks on the house and discounted food.

Brush up on your Arabic

Most expats moving to Dubai will say that they never find themselves in a situation that requires them to be fluent in Arabic. Most people in the city speak passable English, and it is pretty rare to need to speak the Arabic language.

Nonetheless, most people living there know at least a little bit of Arabic. This comes in handy when people say words like ‘Yalla,’ they know that it is time to hurry along and stop dawdling.

Prepare for change

Dubai is known for being a city that is constantly evolving. From the wild attractions like The Dubai Fountain and Palm Islands to skyscrapers like Burj Khalifa, Dubai has an almost futuristic feel to it.

So, it is not uncommon to see huge cranes every corner you turn, all promising that they are building the ‘largest something’ the world has ever seen. While this can be cool to watch develop, it can also be a little frustrating, with one street being there one day and the next day, gone.

Crane capital of the world

At the peak of the property development boom, the city skyline of Dubai seemed to consist of crane after crane.

There are even some sources who claim that Dubai, at a point, was home to 25% of the cranes in the world, however, this may just be an urban legend – other sources say that they had about 2% or 3% of the cranes. Nonetheless, the amount of cranes in this city is still absurd, and the city does not stop developing.

Check out the sights

A lot of expats, in their eagerness to integrate into Dubai society, forget that the city is home to some of the world’s greatest landmarks and forget to act as though they are tourists for a bit and check them out.

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the tallest building in the world and dramatizes the Dubai city skyline. It is 828 meters tall, with tourists given access up to the 125th floor.

Lap up the luxury

Even though most expats will say that the luxuries that Dubai has to offer are way beyond their budget, it is pretty cool to go check out these beautiful and extravagant sights the city has.

Dubai is the only city in the entire world that can claim to have a 7-star hotel – the Burj al Arab. This hotel is considered to be more luxurious than any other hotel in the world, with the cheapest room costing around 1000 euros per night.

No one from back home will understand

Expats living in Dubai often say that none of their friends and relatives back home will ever fully comprehend what it means to live in a city like Dubai, no matter how much they try to explain their lifestyle to them.

It is not uncommon for residents to be asked questions like if they take a camel to work, or whether they are a millionaire. Dubai is one of those cities that unless you have lived there, it is hard to explain.

It’s super hot

It is no hidden secret that Dubai has an extremely hot climate. Yet, most people probably do not understand just how hot it is until they move there. This is no Florida heat… this is the real deal. Summer temperatures can reach the high 40s (degrees Celsius), making the city feel like a burning hot oven.

Nonetheless, this does not impede the quality of life in Dubai. There is air conditioning everywhere in the city, from buildings to bus stops, so rest assured – AC is never far.

It rarely rains

If you are someone who enjoys sitting at home, snuggling up with a hot drink and a movie on a rainy day, then Dubai is not the city you should consider living in.

On the other hand, if you find that rain often impedes on your plans to be out and about, then Dubai is calling your name! The city only gets about 3.7 inches of rainfall annually, on average – that is a seriously small amount of rain.

Weekends are for brunching

People living in Dubai love to brunch. Fridays can often involve a brunch marathon, running from one brunch with colleagues to another with friends, to a third with family.

Newly arrived expats are often surprised by how important brunch is considered as a part of the city’s lifestyle. On the menu is often more than just food, albeit, the food is generally quite extravagant and festive. It also usually involves drinks and entertainment, so prepare your wallets, stomachs, and your livers.

There is always traffic

One thing Dubai residents will admit their city falls short of is their public transport. It can be surprising for expats arriving from Europe, which has a great public transport system, to discover how much traffic there is in Dubai as a result of the lack of public transport options.

There are only two lines on the Dubai Metro, which means that most places in the city do not have access to it, as well as bus routes, take so long, that it is more worthwhile to catch a cab.

Get ready for the hustle

A common conversation in Dubai amongst the residents is about how life is so busy. This city seems to never stop, and expats will say that they often hear the word ‘hustle’ being thrown around when chatting with friends.

People appear to have a never-ending list of tasks they need to have completed for work, errands, social events, and countless stresses. It seems as though no one is safe from the Dubai hustle, and you need to be ready to live life at the fastest pace.

A shopping trip that champions all previous shopping trips

Another record that has been broken in Dubai is the shopping center, the Dubai Mall, being the largest shopping center in the world.

The mall has over 1200 stores, which are spread out over 4 levels, with a total retail area space of over 500,000 square meters, which comes to about 5,400,000 sq ft. Just imagine trying to get from one side of the mall to the other – you would probably run out of breath at about halfway.

Skiing in a desert

For people wanting to move to Dubai, but are snow sports junkies and are concerned that this Emirate may not accommodate for this, being located right in the center of the Arabian desert, rest assured – the Dubaians have thought of everything.

Despite there being not a mountain in sight, there is still an option for those wanting to ski… inside a shopping mall. The Mall of the Emirates has an indoor ski resort, that has an indoor ski area of over 22,500 meters.

Islam is the official religion

Although there are a lot of countries in which Islam is the dominant religion and therefore there are strict laws enforced on all people that are in line with the religion, Dubai has a more relaxed approach towards this.

However, some cultural aspects have been influenced by Islam that everyone must adhere to. This includes dressing modestly in public, and PDA being frowned upon, with the possibility of being fined and even deported.

A flower fanatic’s paradise

Any flower enthusiasts even thinking of moving to Dubai would be excited to find out about this cool attraction that the city has to offer. The Miracle Gardens is home to over 250 million plants and 50 million flowers.

These gardens are huge – they cover an area of about 780,000 square feet or 72,000 square meters. We can just imagine the beautiful scents that these gardens give off. Taking a walk through them must feel like paradise.

ATMs dispense real gold bars

Most countries only have ATMs that dispense cash, but here in Dubai, if you want to withdraw some gold bars, you can do so. There are ATMs in the city that dispense real gold bars.

Whilst we can not imagine trying to pay for groceries with a bar of gold, it is pretty cool that this is something that exists in Dubai. However, most expats probably use ATMs to take out Dirhams, the local currency in Dubai.

There is gold everywhere

Not only do the ATMs dispense real gold bars, but Dubai happens to have over 25% of the physical gold in the world passing through its city. There is even the popular attraction of the Gold Souk, which is a traditional market that houses over 380 retailers, all selling gold.

The love of gold in Dubai is so rampant that they hold the world record for making the longest gold chain, measuring about 5,522 meters, or 18,116 ft.

The weight loss incentive of dreams

The obsession with gold extends even to incentives laid out by the government in Dubai. For the ultimate weight loss incentive, Dubai is the place to live. To motivate their population to lead an active and healthy lifestyle, the government awards each family 2 grams of gold for every kilogram lost.

These days, they dole out nearly a million dollars in rewards every year. If only that happened in other countries – the world would be a much healthier place!

Camel racing is the new football

Whilst the United States has their football and Canada has their hockey, Dubai has camel racing, which is an extremely popular sport in the city. In the past, children were made to race the camels given their size.

These days, however, this is highly illegal and the world has put a stop to this. Nonetheless, they came up with an ingenious solution: they built child-size robots to race the camels. Now, they can continue to enjoy the sport without running into any humanitarian issues!

Addresses are a recent thing

At the fast pace that Dubai has been developing, a standard address system was never established.

In the past, ex-pats describe the confusing way that they would get around, by drawing up a map on a piece of paper, or very specific instructions on locations, like ‘after the mosque, the third door on the right.’ Only in 2015 did Dubai start to assign a unique 10-digit code, called Makani numbers, to identify the buildings.

The desert is right around the corner

Being in such a bustling, advanced, and modern city, it is often easy to forget just how close the Arabian desert is to Dubai. Within about twenty minutes, one can travel from the center of the city into the desert.

It is such an easy escape from the high pressures that come along with a city lifestyle, that expats recommend getting away once in a while. There are so many experiences to be had in the desert – from camel riding to 4WDing.

3-hour lunch breaks

The average working week in Dubai is generally between 40 to 48 hours. It is not unheard of for companies in Dubai to give their employees a three-hour break for lunch.

So, if you are all about that afternoon siesta lifestyle, moving to Dubai would not sound like such a bad idea. After all, who knows what sort of fun activities you could get up to with a three-hour break – the options seem to be endless.

Not your average household pets

Most people living in more Westernized countries would get a dog or a cat, or even perhaps a bird, as a choice of animal for a pet. In Dubai, on the other hand, residents turn to more exotic animals.

The most favored are lions and cheetahs, but the more exotic your pet is, the higher your social status. Thankfully, the government is phasing out this practice and hopefully more traditional household pets will become popular in Dubai.

It is never boring

With everything being said, expats will say though that there is never a dull day in Dubai. From the bustling hustle of the city to the multiculturalism creating an environment that allows you to make friends from all over the world, Dubai is a city that seems to invite a daily adventure!

Although it is sometimes overwhelming, and sometimes it is just so chaotic, most of the time it is simply so fun, with most residents having the crazy and cool tales to tell.

It’s extremely accessible

It is interesting to know that the Dubai International Airport is the world’s busiest airport for international passenger traffic, meaning that Dubai itself is an extremely accessible place.

There are the highest average amount of passengers per flight coming through this airport, so it is not a strange suggestion for ex-pats to make to their friends back home to consider stopping off in Dubai on their travels, as it can very easily be made a part of a trip.

Join a beach club

Expats advise that for a cool way to get into the social life in Dubai would be to join a private beach club. Beach clubs are pretty cool to socialize with friends that are coming to town, or to make new friends in Dubai itself.

Some beach clubs offer live performances, whilst others offer perks like great deals on drinks and food. We can think of no better place to spend the weekend!

Dine out

Dubai is full of different restaurants – so many that you can spend a year dining out at a different restaurant every single night.

Notable celebrity chefs, from Jamie Oliver to Gary Rhodes to Gordon Ramsay, have all opened up restaurants in Dubai, so be sure to check out these establishments and taste the cuisines concocted by these notorious chefs. Eating out is a part of the lifestyle in Dubai, so you may as well have an experience whilst doing so.

Never have a check bounce

It is not uncommon in Dubai for people to pay for large purchases with forward-dated cheques, from cars, to even rent. This is because it is fairly difficult for expats, as well as locals, to obtain a loan here.

However, whilst in other countries bouncing a cheque is merely annoying, in Dubai, it is considered to be quite a hefty crime. The punishments include being arrested and jailed, and you can even be forced to stay in Dubai until you pay your debt.

Don’t dance in public

Dancing in public may seem to be no big deal back home, but in Dubai, shimmying with your friends down the street after a few drinks on a night out is considered to be a form of indecency. People can dangerously translate this as provocative, which for women in the UAE can be fairly dangerous.

It is perfectly fine to dance around in the privacy of your own home, or you are also allowed to dance when going to an official club, but anywhere else is a big no-no.

There is a dress code

There is a level of conservative dress code that most Emiratis abide by, and there is the general expectation that both visitors and expats abide by these dress codes too.

For example, when going to the mall or even just for a stroll down the street, make sure that your clothes are not too short, are not too revealing, and are not see-through. In some shopping centers, there are even signs warning that immodestly dressed women will be asked to leave.

There are rules about sunbathing

In regards to the dress code when it comes to sunbathing, it is acceptable to wear bathing suits, but keep in mind that the more ‘offensive’ body parts should be covered. It is also considered indecent to sunbathe topless, seeing as really any form of nudity is deemed unacceptable in Dubai.

In addition, once you leave the designated swimming area, like a pool or beach, you have to cover right back up – there is no walking home in your bikini.

Drive carefully

You may get excited by the sports cars speeding and weaving through the streets of Dubai, but do not be fooled by the attitude of these drivers. It can almost seem as though there are no road rules or laws regarding driving here, and that is seriously not the case.

Even though most people here seem to disregard these rules, the police are starting to crack down, so you don’t want to get into any bad habits over here.

Road rage is not tolerated

It is so frustrating when we get cut off by some arrogant driver on the road, the need to demonstrate an offensive gesture in their direction, or yell out a few choice vulgar words can be pretty tempting.

However, when in Dubai, you should probably refrain from doing so, as the person on the receiving end is completely entitled to call the police on you and the punishment can range from being fined to imprisonment.

Respect the religion

Seeing as the main religion in Dubai is Islam, there is no tolerance for any disrespect shown towards the religion. Although expats are completely entitled to practice their own beliefs, they must do so without demonstrating any intolerance towards Islam.

For example, it is not uncommon for Muslims to pray in a public area, so when you encounter this, do not openly stare and do not disturb them – it will not be tolerated, and could result in a fine or jail time.

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Dubai: A city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture, and lively nightlife. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper.