Expert Info
on 22 Jun 2016
So, on popular request we have asked some of our local experts about the best and worst aspects of living in Dubai. Please add to this discussion!
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
Q: What do you enjoy most about Dubai? How would you rate the quality of life compared to Russia?
A: Dubai is definitely a very comfortable city to live in. Unlike Moscow (where we lived for the last seven years), it practically does not have traffic jams, there is no winter as such and the beach is just five minute away from our house.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: Summer in Dubai is extremely hot with an average temperature close to 50°C. That is probably the only negative thing we experienced here.
Q: What do you enjoy most about Dubai, how’s the quality of life?
A: Dubai is smack bang in the middle of the world. So for travelling purposes it is the best place to live.
Quality of life is very good. There is no tax so what your salary is what you get in your pocket at the end of the month.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: Very hot in the summer months, up to 55C. I really miss the greenery and fresh fruit and veg.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your Dubai? How’s the quality of life?
A: There are many things we enjoy, from the diversity of the nationalities represented in Dubai to the good weather in winter. The kids are very happy - the UAE welcomes children with open arms and there’s so much for them to do. Other things we love are the beaches, the swimming pools, the landscaped parks (yes, there’s a lot of greenery!), the amazing travel opportunities, and, of course, the good food! The quality of life is great – we have domestic help at home in Dubai, something we could never afford in the US or UK, which means I’m able to work and we have more free time to spend as a family.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: As with anywhere in the world, there are downsides. The hot and humid weather during the summer months can be a challenge and life moves indoors, which is hard with small kids, though there are plenty of indoor activities to get involved in here in Dubai. During summer, you literally live in the air- conditioning, running the A/C gauntlet from house to car to mall. So it’s in summer that you really miss the fresh air of your home country. Driving is also harder in Dubai than at home, with some bad driving occurring on Dubai’s roads on a daily basis. I also miss countryside, well-stocked supermarkets and, of course, family and friends.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
Q: What do you enjoy most about Dubai, how’s the quality of life?
A: The UAE is very, very safe – with hardly any street crime, it’s a great place to bring up young children. They have a wonderful outdoor life with every opportunity you can think of from snow-skiing (albeit in a mall) to indoor sky-diving and playing polo. I also love the wall-to-wall sunshine; I can’t explain how happy it makes me to see blue sky every day. The quality of life is a million times better than it was for me in the UK.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: Obviously friends and family, although that’s easier these days with social media. Otherwise, nothing I can’t fit in during a summer trip back: Gastro pub lunches, good shopping, inhaling the fresh, clean air of the British countryside, showing the children cows and sheep, and quirky architecture, as the houses can look a bit “same-same” in Dubai.
Q: What do you enjoy most about Dubai, how’s the quality of life?
A: Quality of life is excellent. I enjoy the fact that it’s a truly international city with people from almost every country on earth living in harmony. Second most enjoyable factor is the weather. The beaches are great, the shopping ranges from the most modern malls to old souks (markets) and local shopping strips, there are thousands of restaurants and cafes for eating out, it's a mixture of the ultra-modern and old.
Q: Any negatives? What do you miss most about home?
A: The obvious – friends and family.
Q: What do you enjoy most about Dubai, how’s the quality of life?
A: I love the cosmopolitan, multi-cultural vibe of Dubai, and the fact that my friends come from all over the world. I love that I live right across the street from the beach. And I love that my apartment overlooks Palm Jumeirah, the island shaped like a palm tree.
I love being able to go down to the art galleries in the restored homes in Bastakiya, the oldest part of Dubai along the Dubai Creek, and I love meeting up with my friends at Barasti, a bar right on the beach, for sundowners and live music.
Q: Any negatives about Dubai? What do you miss most about home?
A: Of course I miss my family and friends, but there are a few other things I really miss too! I miss the live music festivals. The only bands/musicians/DJs that come to Dubai tend to be pop/hip hop. I miss greenery! My home town is known for all of its the old oak trees, which create a verdant canopy in the summer.
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