Dubai, United Arab Emirates Report of what it's like to live there - 11/05/25
Personal Experiences from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Previously posted to Johannesburg, South Africa; and Brasilia, Brazil.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Ottawa, Canada. There are daily (14 hour) flights to Toronto and Montreal, then connect.
3. What years did you live here?
2022 - 2025.
4. How long have you lived here?
Three years.
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Diplomatic mission.
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing is generally very new and very expensive. Couples generally go to apartment buildings, and families to villas. Due to rapid rises in housing costs, locations further from the business districts are becoming more popular. Commute times can be long during rush hour, especially in the evening, but the extensive road system makes everything about 30 minutes away.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Everything is available. Costs vary according to provider - Spinneys can be expensive, Union Coop is comparable to home.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Everything is available.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Careem is useful for everything, others like Talabat provide great competition.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Sugar ants were hard to get rid of throughout the year.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Diplomatic mail. Honestly I don't know if there's a postal service, everything else arrives by courier.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Relatively affordable. Given high middle class salaries, most families have live-in help.
3. Do you feel that it is safe to walk, run or hike outside? Are there areas where bike riding is possible? What is the availability and safety of outdoor space for exercising? Are these easily accessible?
Very safe to walk outside, but the heat prevents most people from doing so most of the year. Running on designated paths is an option, as is cycling. Walking/running/cycling as a commute is a non-starter due to non-existent infrastructure (no commuting sidewalks / bike paths).
4. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Sports facilities are available but generally expensive. Most villa complexes will have a sports facility with pool included.
5. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Digital payment systems are more common than credit cards.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
English is spoken everywhere. Arabic is spoken only at official venues (ie government); elsewhere Hindi and Urdu are common.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes. While some establishments consider "people of determination" with designated parking spots, etc, generally the civic infrastructure does not consider anything but able-bodied participation. For example, once inside the Metro station there are lifts; but getting inside the station requires going over a curb. Few facilities consider vision or hearing impairment.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
Buses are frequent; metro is very modern. Both are used almost exclusively by working class expatriates, so expect very crowded buses/trains at rush hour.
2. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
Most vehicles are luxury SUVs, with plenty of electric vehicles.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Readily available, usually quick to install (and get service when required), very expensive.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
Local provider; plans can be inexpensive with Virgin.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
Veterinarians, like other health care, is widely available, and expensive. No quarantine requirements for our dog. Sadly she passed while we were there.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Most western expatriates have white collar service industry jobs - consultants, accountants, lawyers, engineers. Very high paying.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
None that I'm aware of, volunteering really isn't part of the ethos as it doesn't make money.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Generally conservative, western dress, though local khaleeji folks will wear kandura/abaya.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
Pollution is real, so expect to become sick many times over.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Medical care is everywhere and expensive. Consider elective surgeries in Dubai if you're keen.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Air quality is terrible and not discussed. On many days you won't be able to see the sky due to a combination of humidity, pollution and dust storms.
4. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
Mental health issues are not discussed in the open.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Extremely hot. The temperature does not go below 30C, even at night, for six months. In the fall, as temperatures begin to fall, humidity rises. Temperatures only become comfortable starting in December, and by March it becomes difficult to be outside again.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
International schools are everywhere and very popular. Expect to spend about $30,000 per year for kindergarten.
2. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
Available, everywhere, expensive.
3. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Local sports of every sort are available, including for the many weeks where school is closed, for a fee.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
90% of the country is ex-pat, even higher in Dubai. The western ex-pat community will likely be the only people you encounter in Dubai.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Night clubs, gym and sports communities, desert drive communities, meetups and social networking/dating apps.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
For families the schools are great, and there's lots of indoor things to do with kids. For singles, the nightlife is vibrant. Demographics skew 70% male.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
I don't think I ever met an Emirati, and certainly never befriended one.
5. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
Surprisingly yes, if you're willing to stay hidden. LGBT issues are forbidden in the open, but discreetly it's tolerated.
6. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
There are no problems in Dubai ever at any time.
7. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
Driving in the desert was an amazingly calming experience. I would pass many days off wandering on excellent roads that crossed massive expanses.
8. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
There are no hidden gems, everything that's fun to do is very widely advertised and expensive.
9. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
If you're interested in luxury goods, you are welcome to pay a premium for the privilege of buying it in Dubai.
10. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
The airport connects to everywhere in the world; 80% of the world's population is within an 8 hour direct flight.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
Just how expensive it is. We had been warned, but wow. It's so expensive that people go out of their way to spend more money than they need to just to show off how much money they have.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
No. The worship of money is not something I've ever appreciated. On the flip side, because we didn't participate in the money-flashing culture, we ironically ended up saving quite a bit of money.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
winter clothes, any discussion of politics, ideological progressiveness
4. But don't forget your:
filters - keep it to yourself everywhere you go.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
There's a great documentary by Al Jazeera (based in rival Qatar) on the illicit gold trade in Dubai that will give great insight into the duplicitous nature of the shiny city.
6. Do you have any other comments?
We really did not enjoy our three years here. We felt poor even though we live a middle class life. Nothing had value for money, so no matter how we spent our money or our time, we felt ripped off. And the ideology of the place never made us feel comfortable.
