Dubai, the UAE

What do I need to know about living in Dubai?

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When we asked people what advice they would give someone preparing to move to Dubai, they said:

"Remember your purpose of coming to the city, many cases you earn lots but also spends lots," said one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

How do I meet people in Dubai?

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When we asked people living in Dubai about club and activities where newcomers can meet others, they responded:

"From sailing to golf to sky diving to horseracing, Dubai is an emerging market that has it all. Wafi City is a great place for various activities such as Sport club, various bars and restaurants, mall and the newly opened Raffles Hotel. Dubai festival City housed some of the most prestigious hotels, mall and residential area as well as golf club. There loads of clubs (each country usually has their own) and activities from charity to commercial events, although you will miss nature's beauty - summers are very very hot (4-5 months)," said one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

What is life like in Dubai?

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When we asked people living in Dubai what life is like and how people spend their time, they said:

"People (expats) work hard and play hard, live revolves around malls and shopping, socialising, attending events/concert, some major sports events are happening during the winter season, Rugby 7, Dubai Horserace, Dubai Duty Free tennis, etc," said one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

Is there a lot of diversity? Are people in Dubai accepting of differences?

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"75% of the populations are of expat, Asian/ subcontinent. People lives in harmony and the city are considerably safer than any other cosmopolitan city in the world. Although UAE is a muslim country, alcohol are served in licenced restaurants/hotels to non muslim. An alcohol permit could be applied through various alcohol stores (MMI or African eastern) - to be issued by Dubai Police upon approval - which allows you to purchase alcohol from the stores. UAE is also a tax free country," said one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

What are the schools in Dubai like?

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"If you can, enrol for DESS, JESS, JEBEL ALI and a few others. This school is very much so business run....parents are treated with disdain by the Principal and Management. There are quite a significant amount of children with learning difficulties/ special needs so if your child does have SEN then this is the school for you but ONLY because you will get in...there is no achievement/support centre so any supposed extra help you child will get will be in the mainstream classroom. The foundation section of this school is good though.....its as the years go up that the many negatives become apparent," said one expat whose children attend Star International School Mirdif in Dubai.

"Pay the school a visit. The students are great and the staff are getting better year on year," added another expat with kids at The Sheffield Private School in Dubai.

"If your child is strong in his studies, as with no learning difficulties or social issues, then this is a great school to receive an education. I must say that it is better than what we were getting in the States," commented one expat when asked about Universal American School in Dubai.

"Don't! The teachers (not all, but quite a few) are rude and they they are basically ruled over by the Head and the others in top positions. Gosh, that's a rude lot. I you want a good school, try DESS, JESS or Jebel Ali. The American Scools are better as well. It was a huge mistake we made putting our child in when we arrived from the UK. What a poor waste of the formative years," remarked another expat living in Dubai with children attending Horizon School.

"Check it out. There are pretty good schools in the UAE. I am very grateful that this one suits our expectations and is within our budget," said another expat in Dubai with children at Dubai American Scientific School.

"No! Don't do it! Unless you are a conservative Muslim and you do not want your daughter interacting with other cultures. Many Muslim parents do want them interacting but powerful and uncultured parents manage the School Principal as a marionette," remarked another parent with kids at American Academy for Girls in Dubai.

Is the cost of living in Dubai high?

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We asked people about the cost of living in Dubai, they wrote:

"The cost of living is fairly high. Schools are expensive, as is housing. A housing allowance is often included in an employment package though, and depending on your level of employment and the company you work for school can be included too. As far as groceries go, it depends on where you shop. There a lot of shops that cater to expats and hold imported products from the UK and the USA. There are certainly a lot of options. Expats make up the majority of the work force and so they are catered to very well," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

What type of recreational facilities are in Dubai?

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When we asked people living in Dubai about recreational activities, they mentioned:

"Golf at Emirates golf club, Els Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, A qudrah golf club and many more. Swimming at Al Qudra sports complex, Horse riding at Arabian Ranches Equestrian Club, Tennis at Sports city, Rugby at the Rugby 7s stadium... There are many varied activities with options for all ages and interests. The city is vibrant and cater for everyone," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

What is the weather like in Dubai?

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"It is HOT. Summer temps reach over 50 degrees centigrade and humidity gets quite high too. Winter is gorgeous. Temps drop to about 10 degrees centigrade and reach around 25 degrees during the day, It's very comfortable. Everything is air conditioned and the city has adapted its walkways and bus stops etc in a lot of places to be air conditioned," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

Are there good restaurants in Dubai?

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"Restaurants and night life vary great and are vibrant. There is a huge variety of restaurants and bars, pubs and clubs... everything is available. Most places deliver, there is really not much that you can't get. There are award winning restaurants that are unbelievably expensive as well as tiny little local shops that sell amazing local food which is very inexpensive," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

Where will I buy groceries and do other shopping in Dubai?

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"There are big grocery stores, like Carrefour, Geant, Spinnies, Waitrose and Marks n Spencers. As the majority of the population is made up of expats, they are catered to very well and a lot of products are imported. There is very little that you can't get. Park n Shop is a store that imports exclusively from the USA and from the UK. Malls are amazing and have a lot of international stores," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

Are healthcare and health insurance expensive in Dubai?

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"Our health insurance was provided by the company I worked for. We had to pay about $10 (30AED) for a doctors visit. The process was very smooth and seamless," commented one expat living in Dubai, UAE.

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