Dubai Expat Life: An In-Depth Look At The Pros And Cons Of Living In Dubai UAE

Wondering what living in Dubai is like? and what to expect living in Dubai? Keep reading:)

Dubai is a vibrant, advanced and modern city in the United Arab Emirates that is known for its luxurious lifestyle, high salaries, world-class infrastructure, and cultural diversity. It is a popular destination for expats from all over the world due to its tax-free income, excellent job opportunities, and quality of life. However, there are also disadvantages of working and living in Dubai UAE.

In this article, I will share the Pros and Cons of living in Dubai, so you will understand the factors that make Dubai a popular destination for expats, and also some of the challenges that expats may face when working and living in Dubai. Based on my own and some other expats’ experiences as well as my observation.

List of Contents

Pros (advantages) of living in Dubai UAE:
Cons (disadvantages) of living in Dubai:

Pros (advantages) of living in Dubai UAE:

1.Tax-free income in Dubai UAE

Tax-free income is one of the most appealing aspects for individuals working and living in Dubai (and the rest of the UAE) who are considered tax residents. The UAE government does not impose any income tax on individuals, which means that any money earned from work in Dubai belongs entirely to the worker, without any deductions made by the government “directly”. As of now (in 2023), this tax-free policy remains unchanged.

2.Dubai offers a wide range of food choices and dining experiences from around the world

According to the Government of Dubai and Center Statistics Dubai, the percentage of the expat population in Dubai in 2021 was around 91% (3,199,515 people), while the Emirati population was approximately 8% (278,785 people). These figures highlight Dubai’s status as an international hub, with a significant number of expats choosing to call the city home.

Thanks to its large expat population, Dubai offers an incredibly diverse range of cultures for us to experience and explore, particularly when it comes to food! With options from almost every corner of the world, and with many renowned chefs and restaurants setting up shop in the city. It’s no wonder that Dubai is a foodie’s paradise!

In just one year, I already got to try food from more than 15 countries in Dubai, and this was outside of the Expo 2020 Dubai site. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of food options available, and the authenticity and quality of the food. The dishes were so good that they were even validated by people from those countries. Here is a list of diverse restaurants I tried and recommend. If you are looking for food from specific nationalities, I strongly suggest giving these restaurants a try!

For foodies, this is definitely the pros of living in Dubai.

3.Dubai offers something for everyone, available to individuals at all income levels

Based on my observations and discoveries, not everyone who lives in Dubai is wealthy.

Although in Dubai, the city, there are many affluent professionals, there is also a significant amount of construction workers, hotel staff, waiters/waitresses, and other individuals who do basic important jobs in tourism, hospitality and construction industries and other works that do not receive high salaries, some only earns AED 1,400 per month(USD 380). But they all managed to live and survive in Dubai. If you want to know how they do it and to know if people can live cheaply in Dubai, here is a detailed explanation about it.

4.There are many opportunities and a variety of jobs in Dubai UAE for expats

Due to its strategic location, growing economy, and forward-thinking government policies, Dubai UAE have become a thriving hub for international business. This has led to a wide range of job opportunities in various industries, including trading, events, media production, entertainment, transportation, real estate, and the travel industry, among others.

If you’re searching for jobs in Dubai, there are a couple of main job advertising and search platforms to consider: LinkedIn and Gulf Talent. These platforms are widely used in the region and were used by us to advertise job vacancies during Expo 2020 Dubai as well. Check them out for plenty of job postings.

5.Dubai's transportation system is pretty convenient and affordable

In the city, if individuals don’t have a car or private driver, it’s still possible to get around using the Dubai metro, trams, and buses, which are all well-connected. Taxis are also readily available and not as expensive as London and New York. When I want to get around on my own, I usually use the Careem app (similar to Uber) to book a taxi in Dubai, or ask the hotel to arrange it, and it usually arrives quickly. During peak hours, there may be a wait for a taxi, but you can always take the metro to reach certain places and try again later.

However, if you are travelling to rural areas like the desert, it’s recommended to have a personal driver.

6.Dubai offers a wide range of entertainment and leisure activities

Literally there’s no shortage of entertainment and leisure activities to enjoy in Dubai. This city never sleeps, always has something going on.

Other than the international mega event Expo 2020 Dubai that was held during 2021-2022, there are also plenty of things to do in Dubai.

From world-class music festivals, concerts and DJ shows to art events, exhibitions, conferences, and speeches, there’s always something happening in Dubai.

In addition, there are plenty of beaches and beach clubs to visit, brunch places to try, international restaurants to dine at, safari trips to take, desert or beach camping to enjoy, rock mountains to hike, and thrilling roller coasters to ride. The best part? All of these experiences are held to a high standard and international level.

Even the opening celebration of the Dubai Atlantis featured a concert by Beyoncé, showcasing the incredible level of entertainment on offer in this city.

7.Dubai is generally considered a safe and secure city due to its strict laws and regulations

Dubai has a low crime rate compared to other major cities around the world. The city is known for its strict laws and regulations, including severe penalties for crimes such as theft, drug trafficking,Assault or violence against another person and more.

The penalties we often hear about that happened in Dubai include jail sentences, deportation, and significant fines, which helps us feel safe, even as women in the city. In fact, two carriages on each Dubai metro are designed specifically for women and children.

From my personal experiences, I have found that men who approach women they are interested in don’t harass us like they do in Paris or other big cities. Once you reject them, they don’t dare to continue to follow and harass you.

However, it’s worth noting that no city can guarantee 100% safety and security, and incidents can still occur. Visitors and residents should always be careful still, be aware of the surroundings and avoid going to quiet areas at night alone.

To avoid penalties in Dubai, it’s important to refrain from doing these things when you live or travel in Dubai UAE.

8.Dubai UAE is located at an amazing crossroads between Asia, Europe, and Africa

Thanks to Dubai UAE’s strategic location makes it an excellent connecting point for people from around the world and it is also an easy point to travel to Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa.

And thanks to plenty of opportunities and activities as well as the warm winter Dubai UAE offers, It is a place where you get to connect to the whole new friends from every corner of the world and also you get to meet old friends from the globe too.

During my time in Dubai, I got to meet many new people from the Middle East, India, philippine, Australia, South America, Africa and Europe. Also so many old friends from both Asia and Europe. It was amazing that on different random days my friends just texted me saying “I’m going to Dubai” or “I am in Dubai, let’s meet up!”

It is so amazing! and this reminds me of my life in Shanghai too, because it is so similar in this way.

9.It is so easy to travel the world from Dubai UAE

Due to its strategic location and extensive flight connections, living in Dubai, UAE makes it easy and more affordable to travel to destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond. Emirates, the flagship airline of Dubai, operates flights to many countries around the world, providing plenty of options for travel.

I still remember my trip to Greece from Dubai, where the flight cost only about a third of what I would normally pay if travelling from Asia. This is just one example of the significant advantages of living and working in Dubai for those who love to travel.

10.There are good amount of paid holidays in Dubai UAE

If you work and live in Dubai, you will likely have many opportunities to travel. In most cases for full time jobs, there are about 13 public holidays, plus 30 calendar days of annual leave with full pay per year during the employment. Additionally, according to UAE Labour law, during the month of Ramadan, working hours per day is mandatory reduced by 2 hours, resulting in a 6-hour workday for both muslims and non-muslims employees. This is one of the major advantages of working and living in Dubai, UAE.

Tips: if you are entitled to this benefit, make sure you use all your holidays once you get them, as I know some companies may find ways not to pay the whole annual leaves you have collected if you don’t use them in the end.

11.Dubai is a city that seems like everything is possible

This is also similar to China, where you see slogans like “everything is possible” and “nothing is impossible” “don’t dare to dream” everywhere, and you start to believe that once you make up your mind to achieve something and act upon it, you can actually make it happen.

Of course there are rules and regulations you need to follow too, but as this city and country take opportunities and the future very seriously, and it is a great point for the international market, I see this is the city of hope, dream and the future.

12.The leaders of Dubai and the UAE are ambitious and have visions for their city and country

One thing I really like about Dubai UAE is that their leaders are ambitious and have solid plans for developing the country, rather than simply doing things to win votes like in other democratic countries. It’s amazing that, despite being only 50 years old in 2021, the UAE has already achieved so much and has a high awareness in the world. This means that opportunities in this city and country are likely to keep coming, and you will feel like you are in a futuristic environment where many things are advanced.

Moreover, the images of their leaders seem more down-to-earth compared to many other leaders and royal families from around the world. In particular, the Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, known as Fazza on social media (IG account: faz3), is highly respected and liked by everyone I know in Dubai UAE. He even initiated the Dubai Fitness Challenge: Dubai 30X30 to encourage the residents of Dubai to work out. I instantly liked him as well after seeing news and his social media of how adventurous, caring, interesting and down-to-earth he is.

13.It is very easy to find various international brands in Dubai

Due to the large number of international travellers and expats who travel, live and work in Dubai, it’s amazing that finding goods and brands from around the world is not a difficult task at all! Dubai Mall alone has more than 1,200 retail outlets, which means that over 1,200 brands are available. Even the Chanel store at the airport duty free shop has popular items available that are not easy to get in other countries.

In supermarkets like Waitrose, I can find fruits from Colombia, Terry’s chocolate, Innocent smoothies, Yorkshire Tea from the UK, chicken feet that we Asians like, Nando’s Peri-Peri sauce, lots of cheese, Korean instant noodles, Chinese soy sauce, and a lot more. As for international restaurant brands, the options are even crazier, as you can see from this article.

Literally everything I miss from each country I’ve travelled to, I can find in Dubai, except for stinky tofu from my home country of Taiwan.

14.Desert view in Dubai UAE is incredible

The desert landscape is truly beautiful, particularly at sunset. I had never witnessed the desert before I went to Dubai, so it was a whole new experience for me. However, I can say that I love the view a lot. Even after seeing it so many times while I was there, I didn’t get tired of it at all.

It’s even more astonishing to see that the colour of desert sand varies based on the region. The sand closer to the mountains is redder in colour, and this red sand desert is perfect for adventurous Dubai desert safari activities.

If you love desert views or haven’t experienced the desert world, living in Dubai/UAE will provide you with plenty of opportunities to experience this beautiful nature!

15.Dubai’s weather in winter is lovely

From mid-October to March (late autumn to early spring) when the temperature is around 23 to 30 degrees Celsius is considered the best weather in Dubai. It was not freezing at all, the lowest temperature I experienced in Dubai was around 17 degrees Celsius in the daytime.

That’s why winter is the time that international tourists flood in for winter escape vacations, and also the best time for residents living and working in Dubai to do outdoor activities, such as desert camping, desert safari trips, hiking and enjoy some aesthetic beach bars and water activities.

16.Daily life in Dubai is convenient

Dubai, like many other bustling cities, has residents who live in hectic lives. To make their lives easier and convenient, various apps and services are available in the city. House cleaning services and doorstep massage and nail services are some examples of these services. Besides, there are several food delivery apps like Careem, Talabat, and Deliveroo that offer quick and easy access to different cuisines. Careem is also a popular choice for taxi services.

17.Majority of the people speak English in Dubai UAE

English is widely spoken in Dubai, as the city caters to international businesses and tourists. Whether you are travelling or living and working in Dubai, not speaking Arabic is not a major issue for communication. Even construction workers and taxi drivers speak English.

However, learning some basic Arabic phrases can be beneficial in terms of making connections and showing respect for the local culture. If you speak even better Arabic (or have Arabic speaking friends), it can be especially useful and important when dealing with government officials or interacting with Arabic-speaking individuals in daily life.

For example, I remember having a problem figuring out where my visa statement was and where the government had sent my resident card. Fortunately, I had an Arabic-speaking colleague who was so nice and assisted me in dealing with this issue. He called the same phone number as I called, but selected the Arabic speaking option, and spoke to the Arabic-speaking officials and quickly resolved the problem, and my resident card was sent to me within a week.

Cons (disadvantages) of living in Dubai:

1.Dubai cost of living is high if you are looking for a comfortable and high standard Dubai lifestyle

While I mentioned above that Dubai offers something for everyone, it’s important to note that individuals need to earn at least AED 18,000 monthly salary (if the company doesn’t provide good accommodation) to be able to live comfortably and experience some of the cosmopolitan and diverse lifestyle that Dubai has to offer. Moreover, if individuals don’t earn at least AED 30,000 per month, they won’t be able to afford the famous luxurious lifestyle of Dubai, which includes enjoying the high-end hotel, beach clubs, purchasing high-end fashion and dining at the amazing upscale dining venues, attending world-class premium parties etc that the city has to offer. Even more to live in life like the high-net-worth individuals in the UAE that we see on the media and tv shows.

2.Dubai UAE doesn't have as much natural scenery compared to other destinations

The desert is amazingly beautiful, and the rocky mountain landscape is unique, but other than those and some oases, date palms, the ocean, and man-made islands, the country doesn’t have much nature to offer. That’s why, after a few months, many of us who came from countries with lots of green spaces, rivers, forests, snow mountains and natural beaches miss nature so much.

3.Dubai weather is extremely hot in summer

The weather in Dubai UAE is extremely hot during late spring to early autumn (April to September). The temperature is usually 36-42 degrees Celsius and can reach up to 45+ degrees Celsius sometimes. I couldn’t go out of the AC environment for too long during the summer, even at night time it’s still quite humid and warm. The ocean water is also usually hot and warm, around 30+ degrees Celsius even at night time, making it too hot to visit the beaches and swim.

When my friend, who has been living in Dubai for years, told me “in winter you will get to enjoy Dubai beaches, and swim, in summer is impossible”, I didn’t believe him until I went there and personally experienced the hot-bath-like ocean in summer.

Therefore, it is highly suggested that you do not do outdoor activities in the summer when you live and work in Dubai.

4.Certain voice and video calling services are restricted in Dubai UAE

Yes, video and voice calling services such as Skype, What’s App, Facetime, Instagram, Facebook, Wechat and Line don’t work in Dubai and other cities in the UAE. (Texting from these applications functioned normally though).

The available ones that you can use for voice and video calls are services from Zoom, Google Meet and UAE’s own telecom providers.

However, if you still want to use the services from those applications you are used to, then good and stable VPNs (virtual private networks) can help you bypass internet censorship and access blocked services in the region.

I had no idea that those apps don’t work in the UAE until I went to Dubai and tried to call my family and friends from Instagram, Line and Wechat. Glad I still keep the VPNs applications I used that work in China, so I still got to call people with those applications.

5.There are many strict restriction and government regulation in Dubai UAE

In order to protect the country’s religious culture and ensure its safety, in Dubai and other cities in the UAE there are strict regulations that prohibit people from doing certain things that may be considered normal and acceptable or not a big crime in other countries. Violating these regulations can result in offending UAE’s culture and receive severe penalties such as significant fines, being deported, or imprisoned. Which sometimes could make people feel they have less freedom but still it is crucial to obey the rules when being in other countries.

So we were well behaved and always took extra cautious of our behaviour when living in Dubai.

6.Alcohol and pork meat aren’t convenient to get in Dubai UAE

For individuals who enjoy alcohol or consume pork meat, they may find it less accessible in Dubai and other cities in the UAE. The country has strict laws and cultural norms that prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol in public places, except in licensed venues such as beach clubs, hotels, bars, and special wholesales places.

Additionally, due to the Islamic culture, pork is not widely available in supermarkets and restaurants. You may find it at the non-muslim section in the supermarkets and certain restaurants, but most of the time you will find pork products like ham, siu mai, bacon are replaced by chicken, turkey or beef meats.

7.The earning gap between various social classes in Dubai UAE is significant

As mentioned in the advantages section of this article, the salary ranges in Dubai are vast, ranging from high-earning professionals to individuals earning less than 400 USD per month.

Like in other countries, salaries in Dubai depend on an individual’s skills, experiences, and the type of work they do. However, less than 400 USD is a very low salary in my understanding, and a bit sad to know this fact. Nevertheless, this part is just to address the importance of acknowledging that not everyone in Dubai, UAE is a high-earner as portrayed in the media.

8.In Dubai UAE, there is a substantial difference in the quality of people across various groups or social classes

Although every country and city has different social classes and different qualities of the people. These differences can be influenced by factors such as income, education, occupation, and access to resources, among others. But the gap in the quality of individuals is significant in Dubai UAE, probably the biggest I’ve ever experienced in one place.

On one hand there are many super kind, generous, ambitious, smart people, and people with high tolerance and always help others, their families, countries, or work hard on their own business or dreams.

On the other hand, there are those who have rude behaviour, such as a man called a waitress in the restaurant by snapping their fingers several times, and said “hey you, come here” just to give her tips. There are also some dodgy, sneaky ones or shallow ones that only talk about gossip and luxurious things. Also some weird men on the street randomly ask girls to be their wives  (this has happened to me twice, and it also happened to my European female friend. For this, we were not annoyed or angry about it but rather surprised how this behaviour does actually happen in an advanced city like this.

9.Driving in Dubai is a very challenging thing

Despite the strict laws and expensive fines in Dubai, UAE, many of us from Asia and Western countries are very concerned about the driving behaviour of the residents in Dubai. Why? Because most of the time when we are in the car, we often see people who either do not signal when suddenly switching lanes or get very close to the cars in front of them to pressure them if they think the car is driving slowly, instead of just overtaking.

Moreover, taking or missing the wrong exit in Dubai can result in an additional 30+ minutes of driving time (if you don’t get lost). Many people even ended up in rural areas or different cities as a result. Combined with peak hour traffic, it can be a real pain for everyone in Dubai, UAE.

I have experienced missing the exit three times during my time in Dubai. It felt awful that we were on the wrong path after a long day at work, making it feel like the way home was far away. However, there was one time when we missed the exit and ended up in the desert camel farming area. Seeing those camels and the desert in the morning made my day.

What’s more, for people from certain countries (such as Taiwan, Czech Republic, and more), having an international licence is not enough to legally drive in Dubai after the visa status has been updated to a resident visa. They still need to take an exam to obtain a driving licence that is valid in the UAE, which can cost between 4500-7000 AED.

In conclusion, every city and country has its pros and cons. Whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages depends on individual experiences, values, and what they are searching for in life.
The above points are just my personal opinions on the pros and cons of living in Dubai, based on my values and 11 months experience working and living in Dubai, as well as my observation and situations from some of the people I encountered in the journey. Different people have different backgrounds and experiences and values may have different opinions. Feel free to share your opinions with me.

Dubai Expat Life: An In-Depth Look at the Pros and Cons of Living in Dubai UAE