More and more people are emigrating to Dubai and raving about the metropolis on the Arabian Gulf. Sun, beaches, palm trees, security and no taxes attract many to Dubai. But does this city only have advantages or are there also decisive disadvantages if you decide to emigrate to Dubai?
After almost 10 years in Dubai, we give you an insight into what it is really like to live in Dubai and what negative aspects or disadvantages can occur when living in Dubai.
Dubai emigration: 6 disadvantages
Disadvantages are somewhat individual in some respects and some feel them more strongly than others. Nevertheless, here are the most common negative aspects of emigration and living in Dubai.
Traffic
The biggest disadvantage that is mentioned again and again is the traffic. Dubai has become so popular in recent years that more and more people have emigrated to the metropolis. As a result, the city now has to deal with regular traffic jams.
You should avoid certain routes, especially at peak times, to avoid being stuck in traffic for hours. In the evening, the journey from Marina to Downtown can take around 1-1.5 hours.
However, the government has recognized the problem and has started to widen roads and rebuild certain intersections and junctions so that traffic can flow better. Local public transport is also being expanded and the metro is being given more lines and new stations.
Summer
One negative aspect that will probably never change is the Hot summers in Dubai. In the summer months, the thermometer rises above 40 degrees Celsius every day and all activities have to be moved indoors. As a rule, these are the months of June, July, August and sometimes even September. The humidity is also very high.
During this time, you either have to stay indoors or travel to other countries where it is much cooler. The latter is purely a question of money. Those who can afford it leave Dubai and don't have the problem in the first place.
Building quality
The quality of construction that you have in Austria, Germany or Switzerland, for example, cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Unfortunately, many expats have this problem globally. In Dubai, this is often criticized because most developers use cheap materials and are unprofessional in their implementation.
It is therefore essential to choose the right property developer and to pay attention to the quality during viewings in order to avoid any nasty surprises afterwards. Azizi, Damac and Samana are among the poorer, but also cheaper developers. Better quality, on the other hand, can be found at Ellington, Shoba or Meraas.
In general, however, the quality of construction in Dubai is worse than in the DACH region.
Spam
As soon as you carelessly enter your telephone number in Dubai, this can have annoying consequences. Spam calls are an everyday occurrence for many people who like to give their telephone number (on the Internet). You should be aware of this and, ideally, be careful from the outset about who you give your telephone number to and where you give it. You will usually be contacted by real estate agencies, insurance companies or Internet providers and this can be very annoying in the long run. However, if you are careful, you can avoid this.
No mountain sports
This disadvantage is rather subjective and affects some more than others. Especially for all those who come from southern Germany, Austria or Switzerland will realize that mountain sports in the UAE are no comparison. There are mountains, but for Austrians and Swiss it's not worth mentioning. The indoor ski slope in the Mall of Emirates is also more of a one-off fun experience.
If you like hiking, skiing or climbing, you should fly home for your vacation.
Prices
The most obvious negative aspect of all is the price level in Dubai. Life in Dubai has become more expensive in recent years and definitely more expensive than in most European cities. Especially when it comes to rent and food. The former is increasing due to rising demand and the latter has to be imported.
The The cost of living in Dubai is for many more expensive after emigration, but there is still more left over due to the high tax savings.
Experience
In our experience, the positive aspects of emigrating to Dubai strongly outweigh the negative and the city still has great potential for the future. In particular, the safety, cleanliness, tax benefits and great infrastructure create a very strong overall package for the city. Many of our clients and community members are still very happy in Dubai or are happy about emigrating.
Summary
No city is perfect and neither is Dubai. There are a handful of negative aspects to live with when emigrating to Dubai. These include heavy traffic, hot summers and rising prices. Nevertheless, Dubai offers enormous advantages and a high quality of life and the number of emigrants is increasing year on year. The government is also working hard to solve these problems.
