# What is life likein Dubai?



## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

I am having an interview for a position that may involve me moving to Dubai. Can people give me some information on what life is like in Dubai?


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## Hash4272 (Sep 26, 2010)

why dont you read the thread that is titled "Read Before Posting" it is one of the sticky


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

harsh!


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## mikeyb (May 15, 2010)

Depends

For some its a life of debauchery, buckets of cash, constant partying, luxury accomodation, big cars and fat cigars.

For others its 18 hour days working outside in 40c heat and then going home to live in a labour camp with 8 to a room.

or of course somewhere between the two

Lifes what you make it and relative to your income


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## Azamj (Oct 7, 2010)

mikey b gave a perfect explanation. It depends on what you are doing. Overall lifestyle is fantastic though, shopping malls and cinemas are open till 12 at night daily. Lots of high end restaurants, bars and clubs etc. Depends what your looking for but it caters to a wide range of lifestyles.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Cheers guys, Well the job i am being interviewed for is as a trainee financial adviser, i'm unaware of the exact package yet but wanted to get an idea of what i could vaguely expect. I've been told that the salary is about £30k p.a (roughly AED180,000), would you say that the cost of living is comparable to London prices?




Azamj said:


> mikey b gave a perfect explanation. It depends on what you are doing. Overall lifestyle is fantastic though, shopping malls and cinemas are open till 12 at night daily. Lots of high end restaurants, bars and clubs etc. Depends what your looking for but it caters to a wide range of lifestyles.


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## Azamj (Oct 7, 2010)

If you dont mind me asking, which company are you joining. I am looking for a career change and considering financial advisory as one of the industries of priority. Thanks mate ! 

Cost of living to be honest can vary. A good resource to read is the living in dubai thread. If you are looking for a studio apt in a decent location (Jumeirah Lake Towers) AED 5K per month, travel is cheap (metro & taxis), the rest is similar to London I would say i.e. Groceries, Meals, Clubs/Bars etc.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

The company i'm interviewing is a firm called ****** Group, they have offices in about 40 different countries all over the world, the other office they spoke about was their Geneva office, but i'm leaning more towards Dubai for the better climate etc.

Ok, that sounds cool so in many respects its not too different to London (but with much nicer weather! lol


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Sorry Azamj, the site rules wont allow to post the name of teh company yet til i've made 4 or more posts, i'l try again now - they're called ****** Group


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## Azamj (Oct 7, 2010)

Hahah thanks Mark. I tried to play a guessing game but that did not work, six letter name with Group at the end lol. It will be highly appreciated if you can send me a message once the site allows you to.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Oh well, 3rd time lucky hopefully!

****** Group (fingers crossed)



Hash4272 said:


> why dont you read the thread that is titled "Read Before Posting" it is one of the sticky


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## Azamj (Oct 7, 2010)

Thanks a million Mark. Highly appreciated.

Let me know if you need any further assistance in Dubai.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Cheers Azam, much appreciated. Good luck with everything!


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Go to Geneva, 2-3 hours away from Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, London. Proper laws and rules, civilisation and no cheating death every time you go out in a car.

That said, it's sunny here and you can smoke in the pubs.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

How long you been out there then Mr Rossi?


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Mr Rossi said:


> Go to Geneva, 2-3 hours away from Amsterdam, Berlin, Barcelona, London. Proper laws and rules, civilisation and no cheating death every time you go out in a car.
> 
> That said, it's sunny here and you can smoke in the pubs.


Agree with you. The money aside, Europe offers a much better and cheaper lifestyle than Dubai. I've been here just over 2 years and I am seriously pining for the simple pleasures in life like being able to walk to the shop, using a pedestrian crossing without having to fear that the speeding 4x4 is going to run me over (which I'm convinced it will if I step out on the road!), etc.

@ mark - Do keep in mind that for about 6 months of the year, you will need to travel in air-conditioned comfort to prevent yourself from getting 3rd degree burns from the sun. The summer months are no fun here - it is literally too hot for you to go outside!


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Hi Maz - Would you say it is essential that you are able to drive over there? Is it really that hot over there then?


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

mark122no said:


> How long you been out there then Mr Rossi?


A couple of years.

It's alright but not great and unless you get yourself a hobby you'll end up in a cycle of working and drinking a lot more than you would back home. And alcohol is well expensive here.

Bureaucracy is both abundant and farcical thanks to a crippling blame culture, poor salaries in a lot of sectors and non-existant training. Laws are interpreted depending on who you are and some just plainly illogical.

People seem to lie, steal and cheat at lot more than in the UK, as a result compassion is often a little seen virtue and loads of people are just spoilt and ill mannered anyway.

In short it's a stressful rollercoaster ride living here, it's not all bad. I've met some good people of all nationalities, had some good times and done things I wouldn't or couldn't have done in another part of the world. 

That said you never fully settle. Just when you think you are about to, something as trivial as a someone pushing to the front of a queue or more seriously someone nearly kills you on the road, you end up cursing the place again.


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

So what you categorize as good and bad about Dubai then? Obviously you've mentioned the bureaucracy, lack of compassion and expensive alcohol (sounds a lot like Britain at the moment! lol). Other than the climate are there other positive aspects of Dubai that would recommend it to others?


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

mark122no said:


> Other than the climate are there other positive aspects of Dubai that would recommend it to others?


This had goods and bads. 

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...95-how-long-do-you-expect-stay-dubai-uae.html 

And this was suppose to be just the good. 

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/du...you-say-about-life-dubai.html?highlight=dubai


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

mark122no said:


> Hi Maz - Would you say it is essential that you are able to drive over there? Is it really that hot over there then?


Yes, very much so. I drive everywhere and would not be able to do without my car. It may very well be that I am now used to the independence that the car affords me as I did use to get by on taxis.

On the other hand, a lot of people find the drive daunting and stressful as for the most part, it borders on suicidal. If you find that you do not want to drive, you can choose to rent an apartment close to the metro and use the train to commute to work (provided that there is a metro station close by though you could always use the feeder buses or taxi to complete your journey) or alternatively, make use of taxis.

During the summer months, the mercury goes well past 40 degrees and it does take some getting use to. The high temperatures will however not cause you as many problems as the high humidity - at 100%, the humidity makes it almost impossible to breath and it is rather uncomfortable being outdoors for longer than 10 seconds. But, that's also when I realise how privileged I am when I watch the poor labourers slaving away in the heat and humidity. 

I was in my mid-20s when I arrived here and at the beginning, the lifestyle was great and I loved it but as you get older and mature, your priorities change and the lifestyle that used to be attractive suddenly does not seem so great anymore. I used to complain about the cold weather in the UK but now, whilst I still do not miss the UK, I miss simple things like online shopping, using the bus, walking somewhere, etc. These are really silly things but after 2 years of not being able to do them (particularly to the level that I was used to), they add to the desire to leave.

Saying that, don't let me put you off. The experience gained here will prove useful and I do not regret coming here at all (though I will leave as soon as the right opportunity presents itself).


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## VADXB (Jun 4, 2009)

Maz25 said:


> Yes, very much so. I drive everywhere and would not be able to do without my car. It may very well be that I am now used to the independence that the car affords me as I did use to get by on taxis.
> 
> On the other hand, a lot of people find the drive daunting and stressful as for the most part, it borders on suicidal. If you find that you do not want to drive, you can choose to rent an apartment close to the metro and use the train to commute to work (provided that there is a metro station close by though you could always use the feeder buses or taxi to complete your journey) or alternatively, make use of taxis.
> 
> ...


I feel the same and agree completely with Mazz. I'd take the Geneva role, if i were you. Dubai, though can be quite glamorous, is very different experience and can be quite stressful. I'm counting down my days and would jump once a suitable opportunity comes by. That said, there are many who really enjoy this place and i guess it all comes down to your priorities.

Good luck


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

> had some good times and done things I wouldn't or couldn't have done in another part of the world.


yeah, like a camel ride right!


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

It is up to what you have experienced in the past and how tolerant you are...

We have been living overseas for the last 15 years in 6 countries so have exposed to a lot of things. The last time we lived in UAE here was for 5 years, then loved to Egypt for 3 years and now just moved back.

When we left 3 years ago, we were ready to move out of UAE and were feeling like most people wrote above (i.e. complaining about the driving, weather, etc). But after living in Egypt for 3 years, this place is like heaven to move back to.

As long as you don't expect all of the same things as in your own country, you will be fine. UAE is more civilized than most of the countries in the Gulf States, almost everything is available all the time (i.e. food, booze, house, car, etc). Most "Western" expats (i.e. non-labors) are making a better living here than at home, or no one would be here. By the same token, so are the laborers.

Come and work here, enjoy being in a different cultures, open your eyes and be more tolerant to things that you won't have an opportunity to experience. It will make you a better person down the road...


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

mark122no said:


> I am having an interview for a position that may involve me moving to Dubai. Can people give me some information on what life is like in Dubai?


I would caution you against taking a role with that company in Dubai. They have a dreadful reputation - with good reason. 
-


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> I would caution you against taking a role with that company in Dubai. They have a dreadful reputation - with good reason.
> -


I agree from personal experience in dealing with that company, I now wish I hadn't...


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

ccr said:


> I agree from personal experience in dealing with that company, I now wish I hadn't...


Hi, in what way would you agree with that statement? In what way would you say they have a bad reputation?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

mark122no said:


> Hi, in what way would you agree with that statement? In what way would you say they have a bad reputation?


In what way? In the way that everyone knows that they are largely unqualified, are salesmen not advisers, sell inappropriate plans and pester everyone by cold-calling. They have a shocklingly bad reputation in Dubai which is largely well deserved.
-


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

Thanks for warning me of that! I've got my interview with them tomorrow so i'll see what they say. I've already got some qualifications in that field so hopefully i wouldn't be so bad if i went for it! lol

Do you have any links about this stuff you mention so i can have a look online? Couldn't find anything myself but was probably looking in the wrong place!!


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

mark122no said:


> I've already got some qualifications in that field so hopefully i wouldn't be so bad if i went for it!


In what way do you think that having qualifications makes you exempt from the practises of an unscrupulous business?


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

I see your point but from what i've seen of them, the problem has been poor advice, which qualifications do help as you'd have more knowledge and understanding of issues. But to an extent i do agree with what you are saying....


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## JonStewart87 (Jul 21, 2010)

Salary is great, Dubai is fine - you'd do well here for 3-5 years.. however, it's switzerland... you'd be dumb not to go!!


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## mark122no (Oct 7, 2010)

JonStewart87 said:


> Salary is great, Dubai is fine - you'd do well here for 3-5 years.. however, it's switzerland... you'd be dumb not to go!!


Have you spent much time in Switzerland as well as then?


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## iank (Nov 11, 2009)

Hi Mark
As all the previous posts state - life is what you make it! And if you are fortunate enough to land a decent role with this company the Dubai has everything you could ever want (and more!) Good luck with the job and let us know how things are shaping up


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

mark122no said:


> I see your point but from what i've seen of them, the problem has been poor advice, which qualifications do help as you'd have more knowledge and understanding of issues. But to an extent i do agree with what you are saying....


Why ask for advice & then dispute what you are being told? The company has shockingly bad reputation, most people know this and will have nothing to do with them. Their practices are unscrupulous and they are not proper advisers.

I expect that salary is for a few months only then you'd be on a commission only basis and be pressured to sell unsuitable policies. Their staff turnover rate is incredibly high. If you really want to move to Dubai, find a role with a decent company. 
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