" /> Pros and Cons of Moving to Dubai | Jet Setter Show

Pros and Cons of Moving to Dubai

December 2nd, 2011 by The JetSetter Team | Comments Off on Pros and Cons of Moving to Dubai

Before deciding whether or not you should call the movers and prepare yourself to waltz off to Dubai, we need to understand what and where it is. The geographical location is on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf, on the Arabian Peninsula. Though originally made popular from the oil industry, Dubai is now a global city and business hub deriving revenue from tourism, real estate, and financial services. A construction boom that began in the 1980s, accelerated through the 1990s, and culminated in the 2000s with both the tallest structure in the world (the Burj Khalifa Tower) and the city with the tallest average skyline in the world.

And lets not forget the artificial archipelago of islands created in the shape of a massive desert palm tree from sand dredged from the bottom of the Persian Gulf. This upscale hodge podge of residential, leisure, and entertainment selections might be worth relocating all by itself.

We noticed a recent blog post at EscapeArtist.com, which enumerated the top 20 reasons not to consider moving to Dubai. This generated a rebuttal by the Dubai Expats Diary.

In the interest of fairness, we present excerpts from them both, along with links to visit the websites and read the opinions in their entirety.

Cons (read the whole thing here):

  • There is no standard address system making mail-to-the door delivery impossible.
  • The government blocks all web sites that it deems “offensive” to the “religious, moral, and cultural values” of the UAE.
  • It is really hot outside. Not Florida in July hot; Hot as if you were locked in a car in Florida in July with sufficient humidity to make it feel as though you are drowning.
  • There are too few trees, plants, and grass – or living things aside from us crazy humans, for that matter.
  • This country prides itself so much on its glitz and glamour that it put a picture of its 7-star hotel on the license plate. Yet, the public toilets in the king-of-bling Gold Souk district are holes in the ground with no toilet paper or soap.
  • This country encourages businesses to hire people from other poor countries to come here and work.
  • There are traffic cameras everywhere.
  • Things are no cheaper here.
  • Speeding is an Emirati sport and Emirates Road is just an extension of the Dubai Autodrome.
  • Great companies and great jobs: Dubai is now home to the whole gamut of corporations and companies who’ve scrambled to set up base here and get a slice of the economic pie. And they need talent.
  • No Personal Income Tax: What more can be said? No TAX!
  • Cultural diversity: Over 80% of the people living in Dubai are from other countries – you are guaranteed to find at least one person from the same city you come from…if not the same block! Really enjoyable if you’re scared to mix and learn.
  • Great minds and great people: The best come to Dubai to be part of the show. You can learn from these great people and grow, have fun and compete!
  • Hotels & Restaurants: Home to the best hotels and restaurants, some at the top of their game the world over. And plenty more to come.
  • Sports, Leisure, Beaches & Fun: Great beaches, sports options, adventure and entertainment…from movies to cultural shows to group activities.
  • Shopping: Depends on where you come from and what you’re looking for, but still a great place to shop!
  • Accessibility: Dubai’s central location makes it very accessible from Asia and Europe, plus the rest of the Middle East.
  • Infrastructure: Very decent and usable, constantly being improved to meet the growth and demand.
  • Security: A very safe place to live in terms of personal security. Low crime rate.
  • Political Stability: Very stable politically! Economic growth and political ties encouraging.
  • Repatriation of Earnings: Earn and send back your money back home.
  • A chance to shape the future: The need for talent and the extent of development actually means that you get to play a significant role in shaping the future in your niche or role, compared to working in boring saturated markets where everything has been done and the rules are already defined.
  • Tolerance: All religions and beliefs tolerated – no condemnation and violence stemming from tolerance issues.
  • Weather: Great weather most of the year! Summer can be a pain but then everything is climate-controlled indoors.
  • Family Friendly: A great place to raise a family.
  • Education: Superb academic institutions and universities already in Dubai, with more coming in every year.
  • Business & Investment Opportunities: Take a part in the development / Investment opportunities and partner locally or start your dream business on your own in the free zones.

So the bottom line – should you or should you not consider moving to Dubai? Your call!

The Jetsetter Show Team

JetsetterShow.com

 

 

 

 

 

Flickr / thetravelguru

Tags: , , , , , , , ,