The Truth About Dubai: 10 Pros & 10 Cons

An honest review of one of the most polarising cities in the world, from someone who actually lives there.

For the past two years I’ve been a resident of Dubai, the second biggest city and emirate of the United Arab Emirates and arguably the most famous next to the capital, Abu Dhabi.

Dubai is one of the few cities on the planet that everyone seems to have strong opinions about, even if they’ve never been. The fact that so many people think Dubai is a country is indicative of the general level of ignorance about the city.

Just mention ‘Dubai’ online and you will be met with a bewildering range of reactions:

“It’s a great, fun city, and so clean. I’d love to live there!

“I went there with my family and we’ve never felt safer or more welcome!”

“It is a soulless hellscape. I would never set foot there!”

“It’s a horrible slave-state with NO human rights. Try being a woman!”

In 99% of cases, the people who voice the strongest opinions have never stepped foot in the Middle East, let alone Dubai. That’s fascinating in itself.

So, given that I am constantly asked about living in Dubai, I thought I’d write a post sharing my experience so far.

Keep in mind that this is my personal experience based on being a resident expat — living in Dubai day to day, travelling around the city, running my business, and taking care of my family.

No two people will have the same experience in any city, so with that said, I will share some insights. Let’s start with the positive.

10 Things I Like About Dubai

1. Tax-free living
   
   This is huge. The UAE, like other countries in the GCC, is virtually tax-free. To be more precise, there is 0% income tax, 0% capital gains tax, 5% VAT on goods and services, and 9% corporate tax on company profits over $100,000 USD (you can make it 0%).
   
   What does this mean in reality? Depending on your profession, income sources, and income level, it means you could easily end up with 6-8 figures more at your disposal over time, considering compounding investment and capital growth, when compared to living in other cities.
   
   I won’t write an essay here about my moral qualms with taxation, or how it erodes personal and familial wealth over a lifetime (perhaps I will another time), but if you are a moderate to high earner or high-net worth individual, you can keep and invest way more of your money in Dubai.
   
   That means, you and your family can decide how to spend the fruits of your labour instead of giving up 30-60% to the government every year. There is a lot of financial freedom, which I value highly.

   
   

2. Pro-family & pro-life

   
   Dubai is one of the most family-friendly cities on Earth. Everywhere you go, you will see families and children of all ages. It is rare to see so many babies and young children in a major global city.
   
   Whilst this used to be the norm all over the world, it sadly no longer is. It inspires hope, positivity, and as a new father myself, it’s great to be surrounded by other parents. It’s a stark contrast to most big cities that I spend time in, particularly in the West (although I know many Eastern cities are also suffering in this regard).

   
   Babies and children are valued here from conception, and this is reflected in the culture, laws, and social attitudes. Kids are seen as blessing here, not a burden.
   
   

3. Great weather (normally)
   
   As someone who prefers hot, sunny weather, Dubai is great for most of the year. It is particularly excellent from October to April. Coming from the dreary UK, I appreciate the consistent sunshine.
   
   In the summer, the heat can be oppressive. But I’ll save that for the cons.
   
   

4. International travel hub
   
   Dubai has direct flights to major cities in every continent. If, like me, you travel regularly, then it is an excellent hub between the East and West.
   
   Whether I want to fly to Sydney, Los Angeles, London, Lagos, Washington DC, Miami, or countless other cities, there are direct, regular flights. And Emirates is a fantastic airline.
   
   My family is scattered all over the globe but in practice, I am less than one day away from everybody. The location also means that friends and acquaintances stop over in Dubai regularly, which is nice.
   
   

5. Ridiculously safe
   
   Dubai is one of the safest cities in the world. It is far safer than major Western cities, let alone those in most parts of the world.
   
   Living in a high-trust society is a huge benefit because you can just live your life without constant fear of predation.
   
   It's difficult to explain how liberating this is until you’ve experienced it. I’ve heard people say it’s a ‘police state’ but it doesn’t feel that way at all. The police presence is minimal and not invasive when compared to other cities.
   
   Unless you are a criminal, you will have little to worry about regarding security. People in Dubai take pride in the safety and cleanliness of the city, and that’s good.
   
   

6. Always improving
   
   Every day, I see and hear people in the USA, Canada, and Europe complaining about the decline of their cities. The general sentiment is that they are getting worse - less affordable, less safe, and less clean.
   
   Dubai is on the opposite trajectory. The city has improved massively since I first visited 25 years ago and the amount of investment and construction in the city is mind-blowing. Every time you visit, there is something new and something that has improved.
   
   The increased popularity of the city has made traffic worse and cost-of-living higher, but in this rare case, it’s not accompanied by a sense that you are continually paying more for a worse experience - whether through taxation or general living expenses.
   
   There is something inspiring about living somewhere that is on an upward trajectory, rather than a downward one.
   
   

7. High standard of living
   
   Dubai has world-class infrastructure, excellent healthcare, quality schools, and lots of great amenities including malls, gyms, restaurants, and hotels.
   
   There are services available here that are considered rare luxuries in the West. For example, having a nanny (or two) is fairly common amongst families here. It is not exclusively reserved for the ultra-rich.
   
   You can also have virtually everything delivered to you quickly. Not just food, groceries, and cabs, but also massages, haircuts, manicures, house cleaning, electronics, laundry services… Whatever you need, it will be at your door within hours with a few taps on an app.
   
   I’ve never been to another city where little perks like these are so easy, convenient, and affordable.
   
   

8. No ‘wokeness’
   
   If you don’t like ‘woke' culture, then Dubai is free of it. All of the nonsense that has been plaguing the West recently such as divisive racial ideology, gender ideology, and LGBTQ radicalism is not a problem here. In fact, most people think it’s stupid.
   
   Cultural Marxism is dead on arrival in this part of the world, and society is better for it. If you are a decent person who just wants to live your life and raise your kids without all that headache, Dubai is a good spot.
   
   There is a healthy balance between liberalism and conservatism, without it feeling oppressive in either direction.
   
   

9. Interesting people
   
   Nobody ends up in Dubai by accident. With a 90% expat population, everybody is here for a reason. Everyone came here to seek a better life, and has a story to tell.
   
   What that means is there is a self-selected population in Dubai. The city is full of entrepreneurs, investors, and professionals, and most are hard-working, law-abiding, family-oriented people.
   
   

10. No toxic politics
    
    The UAE is not a democracy. Whilst this will reflexively sound like a negative to many people, the reality is that it’s stable and mostly free of the toxic, aggressive, highly-polarised politics.
    
    The government here runs well and they mostly leave you alone. It’s not an oppressive ‘theocracy’ or ‘dictatorship’ as some people believe. Given the massive expat population, they are actually incentivised to serve the people well, otherwise nobody would choose to live or invest here.
    
    People here aren’t at each other's throats because they voted red or blue, and we aren’t constantly swamped with daily political drama, unless it’s from our home countries.
    
    When you are in Dubai, you’ll find you rarely think about local politics. You are free to focus on your life, your family, your faith, your health, your business, and whatever else is important to you. When I return to the UAE from the UK or USA, I feel ‘lighter’. All of that stuff takes a mental and emotional toll that people pay daily without realising.

    
    

    
    10 Things I Dislike About Dubai

1. Expensive
   
   The cost of living in Dubai is high. It’s not mind-blowing, I’d say it’s in line with cities like Miami or Dallas in the USA. You don’t need to be a baller to enjoy the city but if you are cash-strapped then it could be tough to live here, like many major cities. That said, if you’re used to places like London, New York City, or San Francisco, then you’ll find your money goes further in Dubai.
   
   

2. Bad traffic
   
   Another big city problem. Dubai has lots of traffic, particularly during rush hour. It’s not Los Angeles or Lagos, but it can be bad.
   
   

3. Extreme weather (in summer)
   
   If you are visiting Dubai in the summer (June-August), then be ready for extreme heat. Venturing outside can feel like stepping into a sauna. At the hottest time of the year, it’s common for afternoon temperatures to exceed 45°C (113°F) and it can get humid too.
   
   When you are indoors, you’ll be protected by air conditioning everywhere, but the scorching heat can limit your enjoyment and outdoor time. Summer is a good time to go on vacation to somewhere cooler.
   
   

4. Air pollution
   
   The air quality varies but overall, it’s not the best. Being in a dusty desert and having lots of vehicles can put a lot of particulates in the air. There are many cities with far worse air quality but there are also places where it’s far better.
   
   

5. Lack of greenery
   
   A few decades ago, the sprawling city of Dubai was mostly just a desert. Whilst there is a decent amount of water and some greenery, it’s never going to compare to the woods, forests, mountains, and jungles that you can find in other parts of the world. This is far from a dealbreaker for me, but it could be for people who love being surrounded by greenery.
   
   If you want more nature, you can always hop on a plane and be surrounded by it within hours.
   
   

6. Inconvenient road design
   
   The roads are smooth and well built, but the highways can be confusing. Missing an exit (which is easy to do) can add a lot of additional time to your journey.
   
   This isn’t something you’d notice on a visit, but if you live here then you have to be aware of it. (Top tip: Waze is much better than Google Maps in Dubai. Which is weird because Google owns Waze.)
   
   

7. Not walkable
   
   Being from the UK, this is the same criticism I have of most American cities. You can’t walk around the city for the most part. It’s not like European cities, which are designed on human-scale rather than car-scale. If you are going to spend time in Dubai, you’ll need a car. Either your own or the plentiful taxis, which are reasonably priced.
   
   

8. Services are hit or miss
   
   This isn’t something you’d notice on a short visit, but as a resident you’ll encounter some convoluted processes and paperwork. Normal day to day service quality is good and efficient, but getting certain documents and doing some business-related tasks can be overly complicated and confusing. You will occasionally encounter glitchy apps, outdated websites, and unexpected fees. This is minor, but it can be frustrating.
   
   

9. Not the most charming city
   
   Many critics describe Dubai as ‘soulless’. I don’t think this is accurate at all, but I can see why a visitor or distant observer may think that.
   
   It is a new city and so naturally, it doesn’t have the historic charm and architecture of somewhere like Prague, Budapest, Paris, or London. Personally, I like the look of Downtown Dubai with its futuristic vibes, but I wouldn’t call it a particularly ‘beautiful’ city.
   
   There are prettier places if that’s what you are seeking, but it is modern, well-built, and clean.
   
   

10. Time zone
    
    No one talks about it, but I think the UK has the best time zone because the working hours overlap with so many other parts of the world.
    
    The Dubai time zone (GST) isn’t bad, but if you are working or communicating with people who are in the USA or Canada, then you are 8–11 hours ahead of them. This time difference is manageable, but it can make it harder to coordinate things.
    
    Conclusion:

    
    So, there you have it. These are 10 things I like about Dubai and 10 things I dislike. Different people will have different lists of pros and cons, but these are the real, tangible things that I notice as resident.
    
    Dubai is not for everybody but overall, I’m a big fan of the city and most people who live here really like it. As someone who has been to hundreds of different cities, I can confirm there isn’t a single one that has everything. It depends on what you prioritise.
    
    I hope this has been an interesting read. If you are curious, you’re always welcome to visit the UAE and form your own opinion.
    
    Enjoy the rest of your day!

    
    1,
    Zuby