6 Years Living In Dubai | My Brutally Honest Review

6-Year Living in Dubai — Brutally Honest Review (Key Points)

City growth: more people, busier life

• Dubai has become noticeably busier over the last six years.
• Traffic has worsened, especially later in the day.
  • He often avoids driving after ~4:00 PM and uses a driver to get downtown.
• He believes Dubai is good at “fixing problems,” and he’s curious about new tech/transport plans (e.g., flying taxis discussed for 2026).

Housing and views: costs up; skyline can change anytime

• Buying/renting costs have risen as more wealth and migrants move in.
• Premium areas cost more, especially:
  • beachfront / waterfront properties (limited supply)
• If buying:
  • Don’t assume you’ll keep a specific skyline/water view—new towers are continually built.
  • Example: his water view likely stayed because it’s hard to build directly in front of it, but he warns views can still be impacted by future development.

Convenience and lifestyle perks

• Dubai is extremely convenient compared with other places he visits.
• Many things stay open late:
  • Shops/restaurants often remain accessible even late at night (1–2 AM), and nightlife is part of the culture.
• There’s no “everyone closes on Sunday” vibe—daily schedules are more consistent.

Safety, rules, and social harmony

• He describes safety as “unmatched.”
• He thinks stricter enforcement/punishment may help keep order (in contrast to his experience in the UK).
• He highlights strict anti-begging/anti-homelessness rules:
  • He approves of this, saying it reduces the visibility of homelessness and improves perceived safety.
• Religious/cultural coexistence:
  • He claims Islam isn’t pushed aggressively, and non-radical worship is generally tolerated.
  • He reports little street-level conflict or violence.

Taxes, business, and residency basics (and a reality check)

• He stresses: Dubai is not “completely tax-free.”
• If business/tax planning matters to you, he suggests researching other jurisdictions for stronger tax benefits.
• Practical compliance advice:
  • Keep your accounts in order—Dubai can audit/enforce.
  • He recommends using an accounting firm for expats.
• Residency vs citizenship:
  • Residency is comparatively straightforward; citizenship is extremely difficult.
  • He mentions only a couple of high-profile figures he believes have received citizenship.
• For residency/business setup:
  • Becoming a resident is needed before opening a bank account / setting up a business.
  • He mentions a specific company/service used to handle residency and business setup.
• He frames doing it “outsourced” as the simplest approach:
  • Regulations for visas, taxes, and business rules can consume a lot of time.

Negatives / trade-offs

• Major criticisms often come from:
  • People who’ve never visited,
  • People who already decided not to go and “trash talk,”
  • People who visited and had a justified bad experience,
  • People who can’t afford it.
• “There is no perfect place,” and Dubai may not fit everyone’s personality/lifestyle needs.

Air quality (especially summer): health routine adaptation

• Air quality concerns are his biggest ongoing issue.
  • In winter it’s often clearer; in summer it can become hazy/gray with poor visibility.
• He checks air quality via IQAir when conditions look bad.
• He uses an air purifier at full capacity during summer.
• He suspects the problem is worsened by:
  • heat/humidity trapping pollution, and
  • desert dust/patterns bringing sand particles into the city.

Weather extremes and drainage concerns

• He rejects claims that a major rainfall/flood event was caused by cloud seeding (he argues it was natural).
• He says the drainage systems need improvement.
• Rain is typically rare (only once or twice a year, in his view).

Focus and money discipline: stimulation can distract

• Dubai is highly stimulating/entertaining, which can be great but distracting.
• For business-minded people:
  • You may need to practice saying “no” more often to stay focused.
  • He notes reduced FOMO over time.
• Spending can be easy:
  • Beach club access, food/drinks, Ubers, fancy dinners add up fast.
• His current approach is a more “at-home” routine:
  • work + gym + public beaches.

Relationships and dating (general trends)

Friendships

• He says it’s possible to make friends easily because many people move for ambition and shared goals.
• Downside:
  • Friendships can feel transactional and sometimes temporary (people cycle in and out).

Dating

• He calls the dating scene competitive.
• He advises that social media changes modern dating dynamics.
• He suggests “digging” to find what you want (e.g., serious/wifey material).
• He notes a trend he associates with longer-term exposure to Dubai:
  • higher expectations/standard of gifts and lifestyle, possibly reduced softness.

Family/kids (his future outlook)

• He’s currently single with no family responsibilities, so his view may change later.
• If/when he has a family, he expects he’d want:
  • more space (villa vs apartment),
  • a quieter environment.
• He believes childcare support is a major advantage:
  • nannies/maids are described as relatively affordable and reliable.
• Schooling isn’t free; costs matter.
• He’s focusing on career now to afford future family needs.

What’s coming next (infrastructure and city shift)

• He expects major changes over the next decade:
  • a new airport will shift traffic and potentially the “center” of activity southward,
  • the city may decentralize as development moves.
• He references major future projects:
  • a new “Palm” being expanded (larger than a previous one),
  • Emirates service expansion (more direct routes),
  • an indoor, air-conditioned loop for walking/cycling,
  • possible tech concepts involving Hyperloop-style transport,
  • a large artificial reef concept.

Travel access and Emirates

• He praises Emirates for:
  • top-tier service,
  • rare delays,
  • lots of direct routes to major US cities,
  • frequent announcements of new destinations.

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Notable locations, products, and names mentioned

Locations/landmarks

• Burj Al Arab
• Dubai downtown area
• Atlantis (Royal Atlantis and Atlantis referenced)
• Palm Jumeirah / “new Palm” (future expansion)
• Airport (future “new airport”)
• Royal Atlantis area

Transportation concepts

• Flying taxis (2026 talk)
• Underground/public transport idea
• Indoor air-conditioned loop
• Hyperloop reference

Products/services

• IQAir (air quality checks)
• Air purifier (summer use)
• Capture Accounting (accounting support)
• Trade License Zone (residency/business setup help)

Airline

• Emirates

People mentioned

• Pavel Durov (Telegram founder)
• Kevin Oly (as cited for rare citizenship)