# Has anyone moved from Singapore to Dubai?



## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

I am considering moving from Singapore to Dubai. I am married and think that we are ready to have kids soon. We have been living in Singapore for 3 years and while we do like it, we think Dubai could offer us a better quality of life. I visited Dubai many times, but I am sure that visiting and living is completely different. In terms of income I would be pretty much the same or maybe slightly better in Dubai considering "no tax".

*Housing:*
€50k / year will get you 1200sqft 2-3 bedroom apartment in very nice condo centrally located in Singapore. As far as I understand, the same money in Dubai (AED 250k) will get you a spacious 3600sqft villa with private garden and perhaps even a private swimming pool... That's a massive difference it seems.

*Weather:*
Pretty much consistent year round in Singapore, hot and humid with temps ranging around 30 celsius. It rains a lot and the skies are cloudy most of the time. I visited Dubai in different months including... August and it was unbearably hot (even at 3AM I felt like in oven). I understand however that such weather is very annoying for the 3-4 months and then you have a great 8-9 months, including the winter time where you can actually get cold. I do however prefer sunny weather over cloudy skies. Oh and the sunsets in Dubai are second to none IMO. There is also something magical with observing the stars in the desert.

*Environment:*
Abundant amount of greenery in Singapore pretty much everywhere. I am aware there is a lack of greenery in Dubai and even the Miracle Garden is pretty miserable in my opinion compared to some gardens in Singapore. There are however beautiful beaches and palms that should compensate lack of greenery and trees, or at least I think so...

*Food:*
Being a vegetarian, we both simply love lebanese food with all kinds of mezze they have. Although I do like asian, especially Thai food, the lebanese cuisine remains my nr 1 for many years. The quality of the vegetables in Singapore is terrible as everything is imported, mainly from US, Australia and neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Thailand. Although the same applies to Dubai, I find the quality of vegetables much better there. Maybe because they are coming from countries like Jordan, Syria, Egypt? I don't know, but they taste different, much better.

*Transportation:*
Singapore is generally very expensive, although public transportation is well developed and cheap, it is crowded. Also plenty of people rely on taxis, as owning a car in Singapore is ridiculously expensive. This as I understand is not the case in Dubai, where cars are cheap and petrol per liter is cheaper than bottle of water in Singapore. Singapore on the other hand is very pedestrian friendly, while Dubai is not.

*Medical:*
Based on our experience with hospitals and doctors, medical services in SG are top notch, but very expensive. I don't know how UAE compares in this regard, as my wife only had a 4 hours experience with American Hospital in Dubai in their emergency department. I think the treatment she got was excellent with both doctor and nurse coming from US. To my surprise it was also very cheap (again this is compared to Singapore).

*Residency:*
This is what bothers me most with UAE, 3 year visa. In Singapore you can become PR and citizen should you wish so. Although I read cases of people who have been in UAE for 30 years, it just seems to me more short than long term experience, unless one don't mind feeling like guest all the time.

I am trying to weigh all pros and cons of living in Singapore vs Dubai especially when it comes to having kids soon. It seems to me that UAE is generally slower paced and less stressful country with more laid back altitude than Singapore, which gives you an impression of "rat race". Any thoughts appreciated.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Some of your points are spot on, however:

1) I disagree that Dubai is slower paced and less stressful than Singapore; maybe it is if you live and work in RAK or Al Ain, but there are plenty of people living fast paced and/or stressful lives in Dubai

2) Great weather for 8-9 months is a stretch; the temperature does not go below 28C for 5 months in a row. Even late April and October can be hot with daytime highs crossing 35C. But yes, November through March is much better than in Singapore

3) I am not that familiar with the Dubai housing market over 200k, but the market fluctuates a lot more than in Singapore, rents in many areas have increased 35-40% over 2 years, and I am not sure 250k will get you a 3600 sqf villa nowadays 

The biggest difference you will find is probably transportation, cars are much much cheaper here and SUVs particularly popular, while I do not recall seeing an offroad SUV in Singapore


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC (Mar 3, 2012)

I have lived in both places and can assure you that the quality of life in Singapore is far, far better where you are. Be very careful. If you are happy there, why risk coming to this awful place?


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

StewartC said:


> I have lived in both places and can assure you that the quality of life in Singapore is far, far better where you are. Be very careful. If you are happy there, why risk coming to this awful place?


Thanks, but would you mind sharing your thoughts on why this place is so awful?


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC (Mar 3, 2012)

Read the rant and some of the other threads. If I start, I'll be here for hours. The only plus in your list that I feel might be true is that you might get a bigger place to live.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

StewartC said:


> I have lived in both places and can assure you that the quality of life in Singapore is far, far better where you are. Be very careful. If you are happy there, why risk coming to this awful place?


You did :doh:


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## PoppyP (Jul 9, 2013)

I have never lived in that part of the world, but I have some friends who left Dubai and moved to Singapore or Honk Kong, they also think that life there is much better than in Dubai or middle east in general.


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC (Mar 3, 2012)

arabianhorse said:


> You did :doh:


Yes indeed. But my reasons were complicated and personal, not just to get a bigger house.


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## Scatterling (Apr 25, 2010)

StewartC said:


> Read the rant and some of the other threads. If I start, I'll be here for hours. The only plus in your list that I feel might be true is that you might get a bigger place to live.


I've lived in both places as well, and I agree with you wholeheartedly


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## PoppyP (Jul 9, 2013)

Malbec, you wrote that 'in Singapore you can become PR and citizen should you wish so', in UAE something like that is impossible. I know people who were born and raised in Dubai, but one day when they retire, they will have to leave. Isn't that frustrating?

There is a huge amount of racism and discrimination in Dubai. If you have the wrong passport and/or you’re the wrong sex in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may experience hardship and unfair treatment.

Red tape and ever changing rules make living in Dubai so frustrating.

You can buy a big car, that's true, but driving in Dubai can be hazardous and frustrating.

Dubai is nothing if not expensive, and your attractive tax-free expat salary can quickly be eaten up by rent, luxury goods, dinners/brunches/parties, school fees, etc.

As for beaches, they are nothing compared to beaches in Goa, Sri Lanka, Greece...even to beaches in my home country.

Dubai is soulless and plastic. The bosom of unreality, glitz and tarnished glamour.
Of course, like many expats I acme to Dubai because of money, and I don't mind big cars and brunches in five stars hotels, but that's not everything in life, that's not happiness, so for a real life I choose some more human environment.

There's one thing I love in Dubai, it's my international circle of friends. But sooner or later they will leave the place, some of them have already left, since many expats come here for just a couple of years.

So, be careful after making decision to relocate.


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## ccr (Jun 20, 2010)

Having lived in both places, I would go back to Singapore in a nano-second if opportunity exists.

PoppyP said it best, Dubai is soul-less and plasticky after you have looked past the artificial sparks. However, Dubai is still the best option available if you are going to move to Middle-East.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

StewartC said:


> Yes indeed. But my reasons were complicated and personal, not just to get a bigger house.


yeah, i know the feeling.

she still haunts me from thousands of miles away:mad2:


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

From what I know some things have changed in Singapore over last few years which decreased its premium vs Dubai. 10 years back it would have been Singapore by a mile, but since then;

1) There has been an influx of cheap labor for mid level positions, which has led to stagnating or even declining salaries. Companies go out of their way to hire subservient and cheaper staff . One will argue that this is true for Dubai as well, but you always had this supply in Dubai while in Singapore it has started in a large scale over last few years

2) As one effect of Point 1, customer service in Singapore has declined, and based on my last visit, I would say service in Dubai malls is better

3) The largest influx has been from rural areas of one particular region and many from that area are quite feisty and pushy. This is visible in public areas

4) Their population has ballooned in the last 5-10 years, they have something like almost 5+ million people in a 20x30 km island as opposed to only 3 million a few years back


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

PoppyP said:


> Malbec, you wrote that 'in Singapore you can become PR and citizen should you wish so', in UAE something like that is impossible. I know people who were born and raised in Dubai, but one day when they retire, they will have to leave. Isn't that frustrating?


Well, the grass not that greener as it might look though. Yes, you can become PR but keep in mind that if you have male kid, he will have to serve 2.5 year National Service that Singaporeans call "slavery" behind closed doors. It is not only the obligation of serving the National Service, but then you become reservist and have to undertake mandatory annual training until the age of 40. This is usually performed on weekends and takes 18-20 weekends annually (!). Looks like half time job with full time commitment considering you are living in SG. Citizenship? Yes, you can become citizen BUT you have to give up your current citizenship. Although SG passport is probably one of the best in the world, I can't see it as a bigger value than EU passport at the moment.



PoppyP1 said:


> There is a huge amount of racism and discrimination in Dubai. If you have the wrong passport and/or you’re the wrong sex in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may experience hardship and unfair treatment.


The same in Singapore. And in fact the same applies to pretty much every country which got a massive influx of foreigners. Australia is no different in regards to racism.



PoppyP1 said:


> Dubai is nothing if not expensive, and your attractive tax-free expat salary can quickly be eaten up by rent, luxury goods, dinners/brunches/parties, school fees, etc.


Don't forget Singapore is one of the most expensive countries to live in, schools are utterly expensive (definitely more expensive than in UAE) and luxury goods are available everywhere. In fact people living in SG love to have luxury goods, they were born to shop.



PoppyP1 said:


> As for beaches, they are nothing compared to beaches in Goa, Sri Lanka, Greece...even to beaches in my home country.


There are no proper beaches here if you don't count some sand imported from graveyards of neighbouring countries on the artificially built island of Sentosa.



PoppyP1 said:


> Dubai is soulless and plastic. The bosom of unreality, glitz and tarnished glamour.
> Of course, like many expats I acme to Dubai because of money, and I don't mind big cars and brunches in five stars hotels, but that's not everything in life, that's not happiness, so for a real life I choose some more human environment.


The same can be said about Singapore, which is very young nation. I have already been through brunches and dinners in five star hotels, but once you have enough, you will realize there is not that much you can do in Singapore unless you take a flight to Indonesia or Thailand to relax a little bit. In Dubai you can do pretty much everything including skiing and it is only up to you whether to choose brunches in five start hotels, relaxing time on the beach or visiting another Emirate.



PoppyP1 said:


> There's one thing I love in Dubai, it's my international circle of friends. But sooner or later they will leave the place, some of them have already left, since many expats come here for just a couple of years.
> 
> So, be careful after making decision to relocate.


This can be said about really every country. Once you are an expat, you will quickly realize that people come and go as they please, so in my experience having long term friends in one country is not an option.



Tropicana said:


> 1) There has been an influx of cheap labor for mid level positions, which has led to stagnating or even declining salaries. Companies go out of their way to hire subservient and cheaper staff . One will argue that this is true for Dubai as well, but you always had this supply in Dubai while in Singapore it has started in a large scale over last few years


Singapore and Dubai have both been built thanks to cheap labour. Human rights are non existing in both places. If you are talking people are being abused in Dubai, you will see the same applies to Singapore.



Tropicana said:


> 2) As one effect of Point 1, customer service in Singapore has declined, and based on my last visit, I would say service in Dubai malls is better


Although customer service in Singapore remains of high quality, I do like the service in Dubai. It somehow feels less artificial to me, people keep remembering you (in restaurants, shops etc), try to talk to you (be it a seller, waiter, shisha man or Emiratis itself). No such thing in Singapore where people are "cold" in this regard and after conversation with taxi drivers you get a feeling like they would be spies reporting to government  There is a reason why only Singaporeans can be taxi drivers here, starting from the moment you leave the airport, through your stay here until departure...



Tropicana said:


> 4) Their population has ballooned in the last 5-10 years, they have something like almost 5+ million people in a 20x30 km island as opposed to only 3 million a few years back


And what's worse they want to make it 7 million by 2030. It is already getting crowded everywhere. While you can enjoy a nice stroll in Downtown of Dubai, Marina (especially at this time of year) or relax on the beach or you can go shopping to non crowded malls like Wafi, in Singapore there are massive crowds everywhere which really makes you tired in the long run. People are in hurry here like there would be no tomorrow and they rarely smile. Do you know that Singapore tops in pretty much everything, except it is one of the most unhappy nation in the world?


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Actually, given the contexts of the two cities, the grass is always going to be greener in Singapore 

As regards some of your observations, I doubt you'll find the produce better in Dubai. It's mostly imported too. Some locally grown produce but as they're grown with desalinated water the freshness and quality, especially the taste factor, almost always lacks in comparison with the imported produce from Spain/Holland/Australia. I've found regionally grown produce, such as broccoli from Iran, to have a bitter aftertaste. 

Weatherwise, as been observed, it's only genuinely nice in Dubai between November and March. But the border months of April/May and October are pretty decent too, hot during the day but cooler at night. Sunsets are indeed gorgeous in the cooler months. For the long summer months it isn't only the extreme heat but the intense dusty glare that descends upon the city, which gets tiresome after a while. We really only see blue skies in Dubai between November and March. 

Dubai is in the middle of another rental inflationary period. In 2010-2011 you could easily find a comfortably sized 4-bed villa with a pool for 250K. Now your budget is likely to get you a smaller 3-4 bed place, still possibly with a pool but you may need to look into cheaper areas that are a bit further out, or an older villa. Utilities costs are very expensive for villas. 

Vis a vis Singapore you will have the opportunity to live in a villa and drive a nice car, which gives you more personal space. But why many people on this thread prefer Singapore is because Dubai lacks a sense of authenticity. Even compared to Singapore it's a very new, very transient city where consumerism is a substitute for culture. Locals comprises only 10% of Dubai's population and there's a sharp divide between locals and the expats, which is a big factor in the perceived lack of "soul".

Having said the above, if you root around hard enough you will find a good community that isn't materialistic and takes full advantage of the recreational and outdoor opportunities of the UAE instead of just spending every weekend in the malls or at fancy brunches. If you love camping, exploring the deserts, mountains and wadis of the UAE and Oman, relish being able to have a 4x4 to go off-roading instead of driving a few km to the mall garage, you may find yourself happier in Dubai. But if you want the buzz of a proper city, more arts/culture, more integration between expats and locals, more greenery, you may prefer Singapore.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Malbec said:


> 1) Don't forget Singapore is one of the most expensive countries to live in, schools are utterly expensive (definitely more expensive than in UAE) and luxury goods are available everywhere. In fact people living in SG love to have luxury goods, they were born to shop.
> 
> 2) Singapore and Dubai have both been built thanks to cheap labour. Human rights are non existing in both places. If you are talking people are being abused in Dubai, you will see the same applies to Singapore.
> 
> ]?


1) Singapore may have a reputation for bling compared to their SE Asian neighbours, but it does not come close to Dubai, and I am saying that as a good and bad thing. 

2) When I say cheap labor was brought in to Singapore, I was talking of the countless cases where local Singaporeans were laid off to be replaced by guest workers from other countries because they were cheaper and subservient. So some mid-level positions that would have paid a decent salary 10 years back are being filled by people earning half the amount.


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## PoppyP (Jul 9, 2013)

Malbec, how can you compare rasicm in Dubai and racism in Australia???
Don't forget that UAE is a muslim country with some specific rules, in addition with double faced moral.

Work discrimination based on country of origin is very common here. Where else in the world would you read job ads that include sentences such as:
“Only UK/Australians”
“Seeking maid. Filipino only”
“Job position for Indians only”
“Job position for Arabs only”...?

Where else in the world is normal for employers to apprehend the passports of laborers during their contract? In Australia?

Bear in mind that the UAE hasn’t signed most international human-rights and labor-rights treaties. There are many horrible stories about expats who finished in jail, you can lose everything here just in nanosecond.

I don't say that on a daily basis everything is bad here, but the the system is unfair and many expats tend to overlook that, lured by the luxuries they most probably would have never been able to enjoy at home.


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

PoppyP said:


> Malbec, how can you compare rasicm in Dubai and racism in Australia???
> Don't forget that UAE is a muslim country with some specific rules, in addition with double faced moral.


I should have not thrown Australia into this thread as it is not about Australia. I do visit this country and have some Australian friends, the racism there is huge. It is not as visible, as Australia cannot afford to lose their reputation of having half of the cities in these funny top10 rankings of best cities to live in  Beside they still need people to come and work. But go to Sydney and look around: Asians everywhere on the streets, enter the taxi (Pakistan), go to supermarket after midnight (Pakistan). Australians keep asking themselves if they are still in Australia... Oh and they hate Lebanese people (I don't know how someone can hate whole nation, but with Lebanese I am surprised especially).



PoppyP said:


> Work discrimination based on country of origin is very common here. Where else in the world would you read job ads that include sentences such as:
> “Only UK/Australians”
> “Seeking maid. Filipino only”
> “Job position for Indians only”
> ...


The same applies everywhere, really. In Singapore you can also see such ads not only job related, but also rental related! In countries where you don't see them, there might be internal company policy to discriminate certain nations. At least UAE/Singapore don't create unnecessary delusions...

I am not sure where else passports are being apprehended, but it does happen in Singapore for instance to the maids, it is illegal though. I am not sure if it is legal in UAE or not, but regardless of this let's be honest, these poor people won't go and complain as they often have no real alternative.



PoppyP said:


> Bear in mind that the UAE hasn’t signed most international human-rights and labor-rights treaties. There are many horrible stories about expats who finished in jail, you can lose everything here just in nanosecond.
> 
> I don't say that on a daily basis everything is bad here, but the the system is unfair and many expats tend to overlook that, lured by the luxuries they most probably would have never been able to enjoy at home.


The same applies to Singapore. They can keep you in prison here for 1 year without court case... There were riots very recently (first in a veeery long time) in Little India where 50+ Indians (LEGAL residents) were automatically deported from Singapore without getting any chance to defend themselves in the court.

I have yet to see a fair system somewhere, really. Does other systems, where government will suck your money through taxes with no guarantees whatsoever that when it comes to retirement, you will actually get a pension or maybe word pension will not be existing anymore, are more fair?

I don't think that expats overlook certain problems. But these problems are not their problems. They have no direct influence on what happens regardless if they rent very expensive accommodation, buy very expensive car or pair of shoes. At the end of the day it won't change government policy or situation of the affected people.


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

Just my two cents ... 

Isn't this thread now deviating from the original topic ? Let's just get back on topic and maybe open up another thread to discuss the merits / demerits etc of certain places ...


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## PoppyP (Jul 9, 2013)

But when we are talking about pros and cons od living in Dubai vs Singapore, we can't avoid talking about merits/demerits of those places.

Malbec, I see, you tend do put in the same boat modern secular countries with those that use a system of Sharia courts, etc, etc, so I give up.

Good luck if you choose to move!


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

PoppyP said:


> But when we are talking about pros and cons od living in Dubai vs Singapore, we can't avoid talking about merits/demerits of those places.
> 
> Malbec, I see, you tend do put in the same boat modern secular countries with those that use a system of Sharia courts, etc, etc, so I give up.
> 
> Good luck if you choose to move!


Fair point ! But then the discussion shouldn't devolve into a debate with constant back and forth over one/few aspects of the issue (albeit significant ones).

Which is what seemed to be happening .


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

So bigger personal space and car are the only benefits moving from Singapore...? Or maybe these two are enough valid reasons... Would you prefer to squeeze in apartment surrounded by buildings with little privacy or live in a spacious villa with great comfort and privacy? Would you prefer to use crowded public transportation or often wait 1 hour for a cab (if it is raining, it is almost impossible to catch the cab in SG) or drive in the comfort of your car?

Words little, tiny, packed applies to pretty much everywhere. Even if you go to pretty expensive restaurant, tables are squeezed to that extent that you are simply overlooking someone else plate. You get the feeling that everything is in "rush" here, come, eat, leave, no space or time for relax. Whereas in Dubai I get completely opposite feelings.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

Malbec said:


> So bigger personal space and car are the only benefits moving from Singapore...? Or maybe these two are enough valid reasons... Would you prefer to squeeze in apartment surrounded by buildings with little privacy or live in a spacious villa with great comfort and privacy? Would you prefer to use crowded public transportation or often wait 1 hour for a cab (if it is raining, it is almost impossible to catch the cab in SG) or drive in the comfort of your car?
> 
> Words little, tiny, packed applies to pretty much everywhere. Even if you go to pretty expensive restaurant, tables are squeezed to that extent that you are simply overlooking someone else plate. You get the feeling that everything is in "rush" here, come, eat, leave, no space or time for relax. Whereas in Dubai I get completely opposite feelings.


Except no pretty Asian girls hanging out for a rich "Gwai Loh" husband.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Malbec said:


> Would you prefer to squeeze in apartment surrounded by buildings with little privacy or live in a spacious villa with great comfort and privacy? .


Not a valid comparison. The latter in Dubai will be at quite a bit costlier than the former in Singapore.

For the same rent, you would get a larger apartment in Dubai vs what you would get in SG


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Just waiting for a Jynx style signature for Melbec; "x days left in Singapore till I go back to glorious home"

But I do agree with some of his points re: lack of space in SG and the "rush rush" nature there. I could have sworn the escalators moved twice as fast there than in Dubai.


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

Tropicana said:


> Not a valid comparison. The latter in Dubai will be at quite a bit costlier than the former in Singapore.
> 
> For the same rent, you would get a larger apartment in Dubai vs what you would get in SG


I am sure that space wise I would be much better in Dubai and there is no question about it. AED 250,000 can really get you 3-4 bed 3600sqft villa in Dubai and not in some rural areas, I am talking about Meadows, Lakes, Umm Suqeim/Jumeirah:
Dubai, Meadows - Villa for rent in Dubai

And believe it or not, this money will get you 1200sqft 2bed centrally located apartment in Singapore.


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## Peterf (Jan 9, 2012)

Malbec said:


> So bigger personal space and car are the only benefits moving from Singapore...? Or maybe these two are enough valid reasons... Would you prefer to squeeze in apartment surrounded by buildings with little privacy or live in a spacious villa with great comfort and privacy? Would you prefer to use crowded public transportation or often wait 1 hour for a cab (if it is raining, it is almost impossible to catch the cab in SG) or drive in the comfort of your car?
> 
> Words little, tiny, packed applies to pretty much everywhere. Even if you go to pretty expensive restaurant, tables are squeezed to that extent that you are simply overlooking someone else plate. You get the feeling that everything is in "rush" here, come, eat, leave, no space or time for relax. Whereas in Dubai I get completely opposite feelings.


Sorry to interrupt you, but try catching a cab in Dubai between 4:30 and 6 EVERY day - let alone when it's raining. Flippin impossible!!!
I've never had a problem finding a table in a high end restaurant (Marina Bay Sands or a food court (Bukit Merah) in Singapore. The people are far friendlier than in Dubai. I have visited Singapore regularly for 15 years.
I've always left Singapore feeling refreshed - despite the "hustle bustle" nature - and it's far cleaner. I'll be there for 3 days in March and am looking forward to it already, despite having just returned from 4 weeks in Australia and New Zealand.
Don't get me wrong, Dubai is a nice place, but you seem to have drawn an unfair comparison between it and Singapore. 
Perhaps our experiences have differed.


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

Peterf said:


> Sorry to interrupt you, but try catching a cab in Dubai between 4:30 and 6 EVERY day - let alone when it's raining. Flippin impossible!!!
> I've never had a problem finding a table in a high end restaurant (Marina Bay Sands or a food court (Bukit Merah) in Singapore. The people are far friendlier than in Dubai. I have visited Singapore regularly for 15 years.
> I've always left Singapore feeling refreshed - despite the "hustle bustle" nature - and it's far cleaner. I'll be there for 3 days in March and am looking forward to it already, despite having just returned from 4 weeks in Australia and New Zealand.
> Don't get me wrong, Dubai is a nice place, but you seem to have drawn an unfair comparison between it and Singapore.
> Perhaps our experiences have differed.


Or perhaps visiting is not living? Don't get me wrong, it is my second time in Singapore, so I already see things from different perspectives. When I left for the first time, my short visits to Singapore were also "refreshing" but a living routine is completely different than visiting. This place is really getting crowded. As for finding the table, well, to give you an idea, please go at 12:30pm to Lau Pa Sat in Raffles Place during midweek... Good luck  All tables are reserved with ID cards left on the table or (wtf) tissues 

Also it is not about finding the table, it is about lack of privacy nearly everywhere. On short visits you tend to not see certain things, but they do start to annoy you in the long run. At the end of the day you do grocery shopping and come back home where at least I spend most of the time. If you want to go out, there are better restaurants in Dubai in my opinion and much more affordable (at least considering that I love lebanese food).

People in SG are not that friendly, I think you are mistaking friendliness with politeness. They do feel and behave in kind of robotic and schematic way, which is good when it comes to paperwork related issues and where things are supposed to work as it should (airport, hospitals). Whereas in Dubai people feel more relaxed, maybe it's the sun that brings more relaxed altitude?


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC (Mar 3, 2012)

The things you don't like about Singapore are ten times worse in Dubai. You are comparing central Singaporean rents with housing costs on the fringes of Dubai. If you want to talk yourself into coming here, then do so. You will regret it. Something strange about this thread.


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## arabianhorse (Nov 13, 2013)

George Harrison - Hare Krishna - YouTube
► 3:14► 3:14


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

By all means make the move to Dubai if you think it's a better place for you. Justifying or defending really won't get anywhere. 

I will say this as personal space is important to you: never believe most of what you read in property adverts. To use as an example property developers and agents have a byzantine method for calculating the square footages of apartments and villas, often exaggerating greatly. A villa advertised at 3,500 square feet is actually going to have around 2,500 square feet of indoor living space. It's that all surface areas, including carports, verandas, balconies and even terraces are included in the square footage calculations, and for apartments some of the hallway area outside the apartment is also factored in. 

Then again, the square footage will be the least of your worries when you try to find a property. Good luck.


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## currently_indian (Feb 24, 2013)

I am in a similar boat though in a different situation. I am a self employed individual from India and am looking to move out of India for various reasons - quality of life, heavy pollution, red tape in Govt machinery, unprofessional attitude of people in India, unnecessary high taxes, arbitrary capital control FEMA laws (such as resident Indians banned from purchasing real estate abroad which is ridiculous). Anyways I am determined to move and am in a dilemma whether to choose Dubai over Singapore or not. From what I read, Singapore scores over Dubai on a number of factors but immigration as an entrepreneur is far more easy and predictable in Dubai than Singapore. Dubai is also nearer to India than Singapore. I would like to choose Dubai but am disturbed to read few comments and would like to know to what extent they are real and how much they can affect me.

1. Traffic as bad as New Delhi with lots of errant drivers, honking, etc. Is the situation as bad as New Delhi where traffic follows no rule and road rage is so common ? 

2. Locals are always favoured by police even if they are wrong. Need to know how much of it is a real life problem ? Is it the case expats are always scared when they walk nearby a local due to this ?

3. Slow processes in Govt offices, like getting driving licence, etc. Need to know if things work really slow there. For instance, if you need an electrician or plumber do they come on time to fix things or do at their own pace like India ? How does the system responds to emergencies is what I would like to know to get a feel of professionalism their.

4. Getting school admission for child is extremely difficult - is that true ?

5. Hot weather - how bad could it be for someone familiar with summers of North India.

6. Pollution. I know Singapore is very green and has minimal pollution. New Delhi air stinks on the other hand. What about Dubai ?

I have visited Singapore but not Dubai. Will make a trip to Dubai after hearing comments on this thread.


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## Comm6 (Dec 12, 2011)

currently_indian said:


> I am in a similar boat though in a different situation. I am a self employed individual from India and am looking to move out of India for various reasons - quality of life, heavy pollution, red tape in Govt machinery, unprofessional attitude of people in India, unnecessary high taxes, arbitrary capital control FEMA laws (such as resident Indians banned from purchasing real estate abroad which is ridiculous). Anyways I am determined to move and am in a dilemma whether to choose Dubai over Singapore or not. From what I read, Singapore scores over Dubai on a number of factors but immigration as an entrepreneur is far more easy and predictable in Dubai than Singapore. Dubai is also nearer to India than Singapore. I would like to choose Dubai but am disturbed to read few comments and would like to know to what extent they are real and how much they can affect me.
> 
> 1. Traffic as bad as New Delhi with lots of errant drivers, honking, etc. Is the situation as bad as New Delhi where traffic follows no rule and road rage is so common ? .....traffic is not so bad bad while you have crazy drivers everywhere it's not the norm..after living two years in dubai and driving here I am uncomfortable driving back in Bombay....Delhi forget it....there is no road rage here....u get jailed for giving the finger
> 
> ...


...worked in both places..prefer dubai because of the cars n cheap fuel...if your a petrol head...u will love this place...only killer is the driving license for Indians


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## Ginger_Ferret (Nov 3, 2014)

Hello all

I'm currently looking at relocating to Dubai from Singapore. I've lived in Singapore 8 years and I'm feeling like I need to get out! I've loved living here, but it's time to live in another part of the world.

Could anyone comment on how you found the move/transition to the UAE?

Thank you.


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

I have been here 2 months so far, it's too early to draw a fair comparison. But so far I really like it here in Dubai. Imagine there is wind (!) here... If you feel the wind (or so you think) in Singapore, then yes, time to get out of this place 

Transition is not easy from literally everything, banks, rentals, paperwork, mentality. In Singapore things just works as long as everyone follows the (same) script/rules, if there is out of scope situation, nothing works either and people are confused how to deal with it.

Happy to drive a car finally, it was such a PITA to rely on SG taxis and 20mins queues in super humid and often rainy days. Oh no, forgot there are NO taxis in SG once it starts raining. The reason is that 50% of taxis are occupied/on call, other 50% taxi drivers decide to stop working due to being afraid of slippery roads and possible (!) accidents.

Kiasu Singaporeans, right? 

Dubai is chaotic for sure but after "sterile" Singapore it is such a relief.

Oh I would forgot, the prices of daily groceries are one third of what you pay in SG and the quality is so much better here. I have a feeling Singapore gets all possible fruits/vegetables leftovers from around the world at premium price. Latest story: rotten apples from Poland in SG supermarkets...

For family life Dubai wins hands down in my opinion. Just keep in mind it's a dessert. You may find it shocking after concrete green jungle.


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## Ginger_Ferret (Nov 3, 2014)

Malbec said:


> I have been here 2 months so far, it's too early to draw a fair comparison. But so far I really like it here in Dubai. Imagine there is wind (!) here... If you feel the wind (or so you think) in Singapore, then yes, time to get out of this place
> 
> Transition is not easy from literally everything, banks, rentals, paperwork, mentality. In Singapore things just works as long as everyone follows the (same) script/rules, if there is out of scope situation, nothing works either and people are confused how to deal with it.
> 
> ...


Hi Malbec, 

Thanks, I was hoping you would reply. I wasn't sure you had made the move or not. 

Yes I agree with your points 100%. The Kiasu-ness drives me nuts and the crap (yet expensive!) fruits and veg is hateful at the best of times. Unless you want to spend 300% more for so called high class organic stuff.

Looking forward to owning a vehicle as well. It's been far too long!


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