3 Months in Dubai: My Honest Review

3 Months in Dubai: My Honest Review

You know that feeling when you move somewhere new and suddenly realize you've stopped being a tourist? That moment when you catch yourself giving directions to actual tourists (jk, I have no idea where anything is still yet), or when you have "your spot" at the local coffee shop? Well, we've hit that milestone in Dubai, and I can't help but reflect on this wild journey.

The Beginning: From Vancouver to Vertical City

Let me paint you a picture: Three months ago, we packed up our lives in Vancouver – a city nestled between mountains and ocean – and moved to what essentially feels like living in tomorrow. The contrast couldn't be more stark. Trading misty mornings and evergreen forests for a skyline that looks like it was designed by sci-fi architects with unlimited budgets.

The Dubai Nobody Shows on Instagram

Here's what's fascinating about Dubai – it's not what you think it is. Yes, there are Lamborghinis cruising down Sheikh Zayed Road, and yes, you can get gold-dusted everything if that's your thing. But the real Dubai? It's so much more nuanced and interesting.

Did you know that only 10% of Dubai's population are locals? Dubai is a city where 90% of residents are expatriates from literally everywhere. I'm talking about meeting people from countries I embarrassingly need to Google after our conversations.

And here's a fact that blew my mind: Dubai barely has any oil. While everyone assumes this city was built on black gold, that's actually Abu Dhabi's story. Dubai built itself on something far more valuable: vision. They looked at a patch of desert and said, "Let's build the future here." And somehow, they did.

The "Living in the Future" Part

Let me tell you about convenience in Dubai, because it's honestly ridiculous (in the best way possible). Imagine wanting something – anything – and having it appear at your door in 13 minutes. Need gas for your car? Don't go to the gas station; the gas station comes to you. Going to a gas station seems like a hassle now. Lol so spoiled.

Healthcare here feels like it's from 2050. The other day, I had some allergy issues. Back in Vancouver, this would have meant waiting weeks to see a specialist. Here? I downloaded an app, booked an ENT, and was sitting in their office two hours later. No referrals, no waiting lists, just... efficiency. You get to pick which hospitals you want to go to. British? Canada? US? You pick.

The Travel Hub Reality

One of the most incredible parts about living here is the geographic advantage. Next week, I'm heading to Vietnam – a 7-hour flight. Greece? 4 hours away. Africa? Just around the corner. It feels like someone took a globe and put Dubai at the center of everything interesting. For someone who loves to explore, it's like being a kid in a candy store.

The Things Nobody Tells You About

But let's talk about the real stuff – the things that Instagram filters don't capture.

The Weather Situation

Summer here isn't just hot; it's like stepping into a sauna you can't escape from. There are days when the air quality makes you nostalgic for Vancouver rain, whether it's from pollution or desert sand (I'm still trying to figure that out).

The Build Quality Reality

We're paying about $17,000 Canadian monthly for our 3,000 square foot townhouse. Coming from North American construction standards, let's just say there's been an... adjustment period. It's not bad, but it's different. Think of it as character building (pun intended).

The Friend-Making Marathon

Remember how easy it was to make friends in school? Well, starting fresh in Dubai is like going back to that, except everyone's busy and successful and scheduling a coffee feels like coordinating a small event. It's time-intensive but worth it – the people you meet here are fascinating.

The Entrepreneurial Energy

Here's what I love most about Dubai: everyone here is trying to do something. The energy is electric. You run into entrepreneurs you've only seen on social media, people building incredible things, all drawn here by the same magnetic pull of possibility. It's like living in a city-sized startup, where the default answer to any idea is "why not?"

Safety

You know that saying “F*ck around and find out?” - Yah, no one f*ck around here. You can get imprisoned or even deported for crimes. I have a pretty decent car and I leave it unlocked with the key inside the car. This is quite the difference from Toronto, where the police literally said please leave your keys near the front door so thieves don’t have to break into your house when they steal your car.

The Practical Stuff

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: taxes. Yes, the 0% income tax is nice. Very nice. There's a 9% corporate tax, but the first million USD is essentially tax-free. For entrepreneurs and business owners, this creates some interesting opportunities, especially with something called the five flag theory (more on that in another post).

Cost of living? It's comparable to any major city, with some interesting twists. You can get a full-time nanny for $1,000 Canadian per month, or a driver for the same. House cleaning? $30. The income gap here is real and visible, creating a strange economy where luxury and accessibility somehow coexist.

The Things I Miss

I never thought I'd say this, but I really miss Vancouver's Chinese food. And the sushi – oh, the sushi. Dubai has everything, but some things just hit different back home. Nature is another big one. Sometimes you just want to see a tree that wasn't strategically placed by a landscape architect.

Looking Forward

We're exploring something called the five flag theory – using Dubai as a home base while having the freedom to spend three months in Europe, three in the US, three in Canada. It's a new way of thinking about home, about possibility, about what life could look like.

Final Thoughts

Living in Dubai feels like being part of a grand experiment in city-building and human ambition. It's not perfect – no place is – but it's fascinating. Every day feels like watching the future being built in real-time, with all the messy, exciting, challenging, and rewarding moments that come with it.

The honeymoon phase might be over, but maybe that's the best part.

When moving to a new place, you also get to learn a lot about yourself. This has been an unexpected gift. There is no one else I would rather get to know better than myself.

P.S. If you're thinking about making the move or just want to chat about life in Dubai, drop me a line. Just don't ask me where to find good sushi – I'm still looking.