INTERNATIONAL
All nationalities of the world for 10% of Dubai residents.
Dubai is the city with the most nationalities in the world (Brussels comes in second).
There are many Indians and Pakistanis, but also Africans and many expatriates who work or have chosen the city for its quality of life and tax advantages.
There are also many wealthy Ukrainians, Russians, and South Africans.
There are many Americans and British people, and of course French expatriates.
I haven't heard much Spanish spoken. South Americans must prefer Miami!
HUGE
The city built on sand is immense and sprawling.
In fact, it is urban highways that serve the city, not avenues or streets in the “European” style.
Construction sites at the base of the towers continue to devour the desert,
while new skylines take shape year after year. Day after day, you can see trees being planted around the new roads, and it seems that this expansion is limitless.
4X4
4 million inhabitants and 4 million cars!
So traffic jams are almost permanent. You can expect to spend an hour in the evening to get to a restaurant if you have to travel about 5 kilometers. From the top of your building, the ribbons formed by the highways sparkling with car lights create a kind of almost artistic spectacle.
SKYSCRAPER
Needless to say, everything is high up: hotels, restaurants, rooftop bars, swimming pools.
One day we had dinner in a restaurant on the ground floor (La Petite Maison, a franchise of the parent company in Nice) and it seemed strange to me. Of course, the views are incredible and at night the white lights of the city never cease to captivate you.
LUXURY
Yes, marble is everywhere! The limousines are sparkling (it is forbidden to have a dirty car). Cocktails flow freely (and are well made most of the time!) and dollars fly away.
MALLS
It's part of the system. Shopping for all the luxury brands: YSL, Prada, and co.
But the huge malls (the Dubai Mall is equivalent to 200 football fields) also house food courts and stores like Primark, Zara, and others. Everything is very clean and very luxurious.
REAL ESTATE
There is constant pressure on social media (since your hotel reservation reveals that you are there) to purchase real estate. Little or no registration fees. Little or no taxes and guaranteed returns, minimum starting prices, and reduced personal contributions. It is important to consider the reality, as not all neighborhoods are equally desirable and/or have the same potential. The seaside is probably more pleasant, with condominiums where your privacy is better preserved. This can have the disadvantage of long journeys depending on where you want to go. We recommend choosing your residence based on this factor.
LIFESTYLE
It takes a lot of money to live well in Dubai, and it is best to avoid the summer when temperatures reach 50 degrees Celsius. You can appreciate the cleanliness, safety, and friendliness of the people who work and live there.
