Do you want to travel in time? Then it is the right moment to immigrate to Dubai and settle down there. Dubai is one of the youngest megalopolises in the world, but it has already managed to surpass other major cities as it has the highest skyscraper and the largest mall in the world. Furthermore, when thinking of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai comes first into mind even though it is not the capital of the country. Indeed, Dubai has much to offer to foreigners because of its progressive and innovative spirit. This city attracts expats from all over the world, so many people are moving to Dubai from the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Europe. At present, more than 80 per cent of the Dubai population is made up of expats and immigrants from all over the world. If you also want to immigrate to Dubai and stay there for a long term, then this guide is exactly what you need before relocation.
Before moving to Dubai from the USA, Canada, Australia, European and the Middle East countries, it is advisable to do some research about the state. Thus, we have prepared some basic information about the country that would be helpful when making a decision on relocating from the USA to Dubai, for instance. Here is the list of common characteristics of Dubai, some of which could be familiar to you.
| Location | Dubai is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai located in the north-eastern part of the UAE on the banks of the Persian Gulf. |
| Climate | Dubai has an extremely hot desert climate with high humidity levels in the coastal areas. |
| Population | There are about 3 million people currently residing in Dubai, about 85% of whom are expats. |
| Currency | UAE Dirham (AED) |
| Language | Arabic is the official language, but there is no need to learn it before moving to Dubai because everyone speaks English there. |
| Timezone | UTC +4 |
| Surprising fact | You do not have to pay income tax in Dubai. |
You have to consider many aspects other than basic facts about the country before relocating from the USA to Dubai. One of those concerns the international removals to Dubai with a reliable logistics company. Eurosender is a renowned parcel broker that allows sending a package in the cheapest and the most reliable way ever. You do not need to compare the prices of numerous logistics providers any longer because our booking engine will choose the best option based on the price-to-service ratio for you.
Here is the list of items our customers typically send when moving to Dubai for a long-term period:
To get more information about the international removals to Dubai and the United Arab Emirates in general, contact our friendly support team agents who will gladly assist you.
Many people are travelling to Dubai for a trip or a seaside vacation, but what is it like to live there as an expat? Dubai is a megalopolis with a 3-million population, however, the city is constantly growing and expanding. More and more expats are moving to Dubai from the USA, the UK, Australia, and other countries every year. Some of those decide to immigrate to Dubai and settle down there thanks to multiple advantages this city provides, while others just stay for less than a year because the disadvantages outweigh.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Dubai is a very expensive city to live in. They say you will need at least $2,000 to live a comfortable life you used to have in your home country. If you are moving to Dubai with your family, then $4,000 might be sufficient to satisfy all the basic needs of your family members and cover the rental cost of a modest apartment. Check the table below to find out the average prices for various products and services in Dubai.
| Apartment rental | $1300 (1-bedroom apartment) |
| Utility bills | $150-200 |
| Internet | $100 |
| A meal of the day | $8-12 |
| A cup of cappuccino | $4 |
| International school | $800-1000 |
If you are relocating to Dubai from other than GCC countries, you will obligatorily need to obtain a residence visa and a work permit. Starting from 2016, it is no longer necessary to visit the Immigration Department to apply for a visa as the online registration procedure is already possible. Anyway, the applicants would be asked to come to the authorized typing centre, the establishment where the required documents are collected and submitted. In general, the process of getting a residence permit in the UAE is relatively simple as there is no tough bureaucracy and unnecessary paperwork.
The United Arab Emirates actively attracts foreign experts from all over the world most of whom decide to immigrate to Dubai rather than to Abu Dhabi or other emirates. While some expats come to work in the branch offices of the international companies, others look for job opportunities in the real estate, construction, and financial sectors. As a rule, an employer usually takes care of the residence visa and work permit and covers all the costs associated with it. If your contractor in Dubai refuses to help you with applying for a residence permit and obtaining health insurance, then it is not recommended to deal with those as they seem to be unreliable and irresponsible.
Most expats in Dubai prefer private healthcare insurance because only the local Emirati people are sponsored by public health insurance fund by default. The cost of healthcare services is very high in Dubai, but private insurance partially reimburses those expenses. Moreover, most medical workers in private clinics are highly-trained professionals with a decent knowledge of English. The most popular healthcare institutions among expats in Dubai are:
Given that Dubai is a cosmopolitan city where the representatives of about 200 different nations live side by side, there are plenty of opportunities for expat children as well. Foreigners moving to Dubai for a long term need to take care of their children’s education as well. Apparently, choosing one of the international schools would be the most appropriate option, though the cost of education is high. Check the list of popular international schools in Dubai:
Nord Anglia International School Dubai
Emirates International School Jumeirah
Cambridge International School – Dubai
Several years ago, when the economy of Dubai was gaining momentum, the average salary rate was high in every industry. Recently, the experts have remarked a gradual decrease in wages for the immigrant workers and expatriates moving to Dubai. The number of available vacancies for foreign specialists has also reduced. Anyway, you are welcome to apply for job vacancies in hospitality, retail, digital marketing, construction, and legal advisory. Furthermore, highly-qualified experts in the IT sector and the healthcare sector are in demand.
Building and construction in Dubai are as intensive as 30 years ago, the time when the modern history of the city took its roots. Even though Dubai is full of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, many more will be developed. Furthermore, the authorities of Dubai are investing in the creation of the artificial islands and brand new villas there.
If you want to buy an apartment or another type of housing in Dubai, it will cost you around $2,000-3,000 per square meter. Consider that investments in the real estate property grant a residence permit for 2-3 years automatically for foreigners. In case you are not planning to stay in Dubai for long, then it is better to choose accommodation for rent. The price for a 1-bedroom apartment rental ranges between $950-1500. If you are moving to Dubai with your family, then it is better to rent a 3-bedroom apartment which will cost you $1800-3200 depending on the region of the city.
Things you should consider when driving in Dubai:
Prior to relocation, discover the average moving costs to Dubai, the cheapest way to move furniture to Dubai, and the cost of moving a house to Dubai. We have prepared some pieces of advice on that matter along with the shipping tips for moving a house to Dubai safely, cheaply, and fast.
Eurosender offers exclusive shipping services for expats with lower than the average cost of moving house to Dubai. When using Eurosender platform, you can instantly discover the shipping costs and book services just in a few minutes. Furthermore, you get a range of benefits as:
Before booking shipping services, you need to measure the dimensions of your parcel. If the parameters of a parcel do not fit standard dimensions, you have multiple packages or need to ship heavy items, contact our logistics experts and they will craft an individual offer for you.
There are about 20,000 of Australian expats who reside in Dubai on a permanent basis. If you have secured a job in Dubai and prepare for the relocation, then moving to Dubai from Australia would be easy with Eurosender. Our global network of logistics partners is evolving rapidly, so you will get reliable removals services and an affordable cost of moving a house to Dubai.
The expats from the United Kingdom make one of the largest communities in Dubai. There are about 240,000 Brits who once moved to Dubai and settled down there. We asked some of them what difficulties they encountered during the process of relocation. Most of them reported that choosing the appropriate removals services was a clue to successful and smooth relocation when moving to Dubai from the United Kingdom. Luckily, Eurosender is here to assist you as we offer lower than the average moving costs to Dubai. You no longer need to compare the prices of different removal services as our intelligent platform will choose the cheapest way to move furniture to Dubai and ship personal belongings to the UAE.
Disclaimer: The materials provided in this article were collected from other credible resources to be used for general information purposes only. Given that the legislative basis of the country and its economic development have a changing nature, the information provided in the article could be subject to change. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, Eurosender will not be liable for any inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate information. Certain links will lead to websites which are not under control of Eurosender. Thus, Eurosender accepts no liability in respect of materials, products or services being not under control of Eurosender.