Dubai will always have a reputation for being the UAE's playground for the rich and famous. Yes, life here can be glamorous, with all the luxury cars, lavish villas, and days spent brunching, yachting, and shopping.
But delve underneath this city’s glitzy and glamorous facade just a little bit and you’ll quickly see that living in Dubai, for most of us anyway, is actually totally normal – in the best of ways! While some choose to move to Abu Dhabi instead, most expats in the UAE head straight to Dubai.
I'm an American who moved to Dubai in 2022 after my husband landed a job teaching at a university here. To be honest, I really had no clue what to expect and didn't think I'd like living here at all. Like a lot of new expats, I made the assumption that it would be too expensive, too superficial, too conservative, and way too hot.
While all of these things can be true to an extent, it didn't take me long to discover that living in Dubai is really nothing like I thought it would be. Three years in, and my husband and I definitely still love Dubai!
Short on time? Here's the cheat sheet:
💭Living in Dubai means living in a city that can be as glamorous or as laidback as you want it to be.
🛂Many foreigners move here on a work visa, a digital nomad visa, or the 'Golden' visa.
🏠Most expats choose to live in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, or JLT.
🛏️I recommend staying at a hotel or apartment rental right when you arrive to house hunt in person. Book your stay at NH Collection Dubai The Palm to be able to scope out the most popular areas for expats to live.
💰The cost of living will vary based on your lifestyle and which neighborhood you choose to live in but in general, the salaries here are high enough to afford you a high quality of living. Earn travel rewards on all expenses with a Capital One Venture Card.
☂️You'll have to get through (or escape) a brutally hot summer...
☀️But the ease of life and high level of safety make the trade off more than worth it.
We’re not a regular travel blog; we’re a collection of women living around the world, all with different backgrounds, jobs, desires, & nationalities. What do we have in common? A passion for life abroad. Each article is written from the 1st-hand perspective of a woman who has actually done or experienced what she writes about.
Learn more about the author by clicking her bio pic at the start or end of each article.
What's Life Like for Expats in Dubai?
It's multicultural
Before moving here, I didn't realize that Dubai's population is actually made up of nearly 90% of expats hailing from all over the world. Coming from different backgrounds, religions, and economic circumstances, I can't speak for every expat. But from my experience as an American woman, living in Dubai is easy, safe, multicultural, and fascinating.
One of the many misconceptions of Dubai (and the UAE in general) is that the city lacks culture and substance. But for me, living in Dubai means that I get to learn about new cultures, try authentic cuisines from all around the world, and celebrate holidays like the Hindu festival of Holi and the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
This place is truly a melting pot!
Multiculturalism aside, my daily life in Dubai is easy and relaxed. As a freelance writer, editor, and blogger, I spend my days working from home or from a cafe, taking evening walks around the unbelievably beautiful Dubai Marina (which is basically my backyard), and meeting up with friends for dinner or drinks (yes, you can drink alcohol here!).
My life in Dubai is simple – the way I like it.
There's something for everyone
But if you're considering moving to Dubai, you don't have to be as boring as me! There's just so much going on in this city. There are endless white sand beaches to lounge on, mazelike souks to explore, mountain trails to hike, massive malls to shop at (including the world's largest shopping mall!), cool night markets to check out, chic beach clubs to chill out at – the list of fun things to do in Dubai goes on and on.
Cost of Living in Dubai
Dubai is undoubtedly an expensive city and the most expensive city in the UAE. But as I've learned over the years, living here can be as affordable or expensive as you want it to be.
Housing costs vary wildly but to give you an idea, a one-bedroom apartment will cost around AED6,660 (USD1,800) where I live in the Dubai Marina. But this amount can go down a bit if you move to a cheaper area of town or go up astronomically depending on the level of luxury and neighborhood.
Rent and utilities will likely be your largest cost. The rest is up to your lifestyle!
As someone who is looking to save money, I've found that it's easy to do so by taking advantage of the grocery/food delivery discounts on apps like Careem, amazing deals on popular activities and attractions on The Entertainer and Groupon apps, taking public transport, and knowing where to shop for affordable groceries.
Going out gets expensive very quickly. For example, a discount happy hour beer at a pub is roughly AED37 (USD10), a cocktail at a swanky bar is AED100 (USD27), a boozy brunch is around AED300+ (USD82+), and an average meal at a restaurant is AED55 (USD14).
The Best Areas to Live
JBR, Palm Jumeirah, & Jumeirah
These are the best places to live if you want to live near the beach, which means they come at a higher price tag. The Palm is popular among expats who are looking for that quintessential Dubai luxury lifestyle. You know the man-made islands shaped like palm trees built into the Persian Gulf? You can actually live on it!
JBR, Jumeirah Beach Residence, is one of the most touristy areas, but apartments here are just steps from the beach and the Dubai Marina, while Jumeirah is a super family-friendly area.
📍Get a feel for these areas before signing a lease or buying a property by staying a few nights in a hotel or vacation rental first. I recommend booking your stay at one of these spots:
- Budget Stay: Travelers - Dubai Marina Hostel: Located in JBR, right next to the marina, this hostel is by far one of the most affordable places to stay in Dubai, while still getting a high quality stay.
- Mid-Tier Stay: NH Collection Dubai The Palm: Located on Palm Jumeirah, this hotel has it all from basic rooms to apartments, alongside plenty of amenities.
- Luxury Stay: One&Only The Palm Dubai: For those that are moving to Dubai for a luxurious lifestyle, you'll have nothing but the best during your stay here.
Dubai Marina
The Dubai Marina is where I live and I love it. Living in an apartment here also comes at a higher price, but I feel it's worth it to be within walking distance of the beach, tons of restaurants, the metro, and the picture-perfect marina.
📍Get a feel for this area before signing a lease or buying a property by staying a few nights in a hotel or vacation rental first. I recommend booking your stay at one of these spots:
- Budget Stay: Joyful Journeys: This women's only hostel is a good starting point to start making friends in a comfortable environment.
- Mid-Tier Stay: Royal Regency Suites Marina: The studio apartments are great for singles or couples that want a kitchen while house hunting.
- Luxury Stay: Stylish 2BR Retreat: Want more space? This two-bedroom apartment is ideal for those moving to Dubai with a family.
JLT
JLT, Jumeirah Lake Towers, is just across the highway from the marina and apartments here offer more space and a slightly lower price tag versus the Dubai Marina. JLT also offers a great restaurant scene, tons of family-friendly outdoor spaces, and easy access to the metro.
📍Get a feel for this area before signing a lease or buying a property by staying a few nights in a hotel or vacation rental first. I recommend booking your stay at one of these spots:
- Budget Stay: Stunning Panoramic View: Since there aren't any hostels here, the apartments and hotels do start at a higher price than the other areas suggested but the views from here might just make up for it.
- Mid-Tier Stay: Urban Oasis: Enjoy a bigger space and floor to ceiling windows at this loft apartment.
- Luxury Stay: Gray Cloud Retreat: While it's slightly smaller than the mid-tier option, you'll have a sleeker design and more luxurious amenities.
Downtown
The always buzzing downtown area is where you'll find all the action. Downtown is home to the famous Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa (the world's tallest building), and nightlife galore!
📍Get a feel for this area before signing a lease or buying a property by staying a few nights in a hotel or vacation rental first. I recommend booking your stay at one of these spots:
- Budget Stay: Business Bay Central Hostel: Enjoy a stay at this sleek hostel, open to both men and women. You'll be hard-pressed to find something more affordable in this area.
- Mid-Tier Stay: The Heritage Hotel: This resort has multiple restaurants, a swimming pool, and all the amenities you could ask for, it just might be hard to leave to explore your new home abroad.
- Luxury Stay: Address Opera Residences: This 2-bedroom apartment offers stunning views of the Burj Khalifa and offers the perfect location for exploring downtown.
Visa Options in Dubai
If you just want to dip your toes in and see what Dubai is really like before you take the moving plunge, a Dubai Visit Visa can be arranged for 1 or 2 months. From there, if you'd like to live in Dubai, you'll need to apply for a longer-stay visa.
Residence visa
Most expats usually land a job before arriving in the city. In this case, your employer will handle all of the ins and outs of your work visa/residence visa for you, as the visa process is quite complicated and can take a couple months.
Given how many expat families and expat children there are living in Dubai, there are a lot of international schools in Dubai. One of the best jobs to get a work visa for those that are certified teachers is to teach in Dubai.
Other expat visas
As Americans, my husband and I both entered the UAE on a 90-day tourist visa, which gave us plenty of time for his employer to get our residence visa arranged. Dubai also offers other expat visas, including a student visa, a 1-year digital nomad visa, and a 10-year "Golden" visa.
Pros & Cons of Living in Dubai
The Pros
Safety: Despite being a big city, Dubai is consistently rated as one of the top 10 safest places in the world and the crime rate here is extremely low. This is a huge perk for women and families especially. And as someone who has traveled extensively and lived in six other countries, this is the safest city I've ever been to.
Perfect winter weather: Another huge perk of living in Dubai is the mild winter weather. In the winter, we get five months of beach weather with an average temperature of 25°C (77°F) during the day. It never gets hotter than 30°C (86°F) in winter, making this the best time to be here.
International food: Local Emirati cuisine is amazing. But because there are so many expats here, you can find everything from Indian, Ethiopian, and Filipino food to Pakistani, Georgian, and Russian cuisine. You can truly eat around the world in Dubai!
Ease of life: Once you get settled and navigate the quirks of moving to Dubai, life is just really easy. Getting around town is simple with public transportation, the metro, and ultra-affordable taxis, you can get virtually anything delivered right to your door, and English is widely spoken.
Tax-free: While Dubai is no longer 100% tax-free (there is a 5% VAT now, among other fees), employees in Dubai benefit greatly from having zero income tax. As American expats, that means we can save way more money in Dubai than if we lived and worked in the US.
The Cons
Heat and humidity: To say the summer months are hot in the UAE is an understatement. Things start heating up in April and the heat and humidity lasts until October. But the most intense heat comes in July and August when temperatures hover around 40°C (104°F) and often go much higher. The high humidity makes things feel much hotter.
Cost of living: I will say that living in Dubai is much less expensive than I thought it would be. But things like apartment rentals, buying imported goods, dining out, and drinking alcohol all come at a high cost.
Things I Wish I'd Known Before Moving to Dubai
High upfront costs: From paying an entire year of rent upfront to putting down deposits on everything, understand that you'll want to move to Dubai with a substantial amount of money in your bank account. You will feel like you're hemorrhaging money when you first move here! But trust me, things get better after a couple months.
It's more liberal than I thought: Dubai is a liberal, rapidly changing emirate, and in certain areas, like where I live in the marina, women don't actually have to dress modestly if they don't want to. I packed very conservative clothing that I never used. The reality is, sometimes I feel like I live in Southern California and not in the Middle East! To be clear, though, there are also very conservative parts of town.
Language: While the official language is Arabic, most everyone here speaks English. So it's really not a requirement to learn Arabic before moving to Dubai. Although, it's a nice gesture to do so!
Will You Move to Dubai?
Living in Dubai has surpassed my expectations and has become a fantastic home abroad for us. Dubai offers a multicultural city where there's always something to do. While some parts can be extremely expensive, in general we've found that it's more affordable than we thought it would be. Whatever lifestyle you're searching for, you'll likely find it in Dubai.
All photos courtesy of depositphotos.com.
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