Has Dubai lost its shine? The harsh reality for sun-seeking Brits heading to the UAE in search of party lifestyle and higher salaries – as they moan it’s ‘too much pressure keeping up with the Joneses’

Dubai has long tempted sun-seeking Brits with the lure of high salaries, wealthy lifestyles and low taxes.  

In recent years, an increasing number of professionals have been making the move to the glitzy city on the Persian Gulf in a bid to escape the daily grind of UK employment. 

However, mounting living costs and increased competition for jobs is making the Dubai dream a more difficult reality for some. 

And in some cases, the issues have become so bad that British expats have decided they have no other option but to pack up their bags and return home.

Meanwhile, residents have also complained their city is being overrun with people – with videos on social media showing crowded beaches, streets and shopping malls. 

A new TikTok trend based on the phrase ‘Habibi, don’t come to Dubai’ has gone viral on the platform. 

Ross Irvine, the financial director of William Russell which specialises in insurance for expats, told the Daily Mail that Dubai is starting to ‘lose its shine’.

He said: ‘For many years, Dubai has been the jewel in the crown for British expats, offering tax-free salaries, year-round sunshine, and a fast-moving lifestyle.

One woman, who posts on TikTok under the username ‘thesojournerstravel’ revealed she was forced to leave Dubai because ‘she couldn’t afford it anymore’

A new TikTok trend based on the phrase ‘Habibi, don’t come to Dubai’ has gone viral on the platform

Screengrab from a video on TikTok which shows huge numbers of people in a shopping centre in Dubai 

‘But recent reports indicate that for some, the shine is dimming slightly. 

‘The cost of living has risen sharply, housing rents are at record highs, schooling and healthcare are increasingly expensive, and everyday costs from groceries to leisure are far steeper than they once were. 

‘At the same time, the job market is becoming more competitive as the city matures and becomes a victim of its own success in attracting global talent.’

One British entrepreneur who was attracted to Dubai for its lucrative tax-free earnings and safety recently revealed that he has quit the city – despite making £30million there. 

Charlie Morgan moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2023, as a ‘business decision’ more so than a personal one. 

And in a video on his YouTube channel, he praised Dubai for promoting a healthy lifestyle, with its strict laws on heavy drinking.

However, after two years of living there he has now left – on the basis that the cons of the city outweigh its advantages. 

Mr Morgan said: ‘The issue with Dubai is everyone plans to leave. It’s a revolving door of a city which means that people come and people leave.’

He also explained that despite many people assuming their earnings are tax free in the UAE, the rules are actually ‘totally unclear’. 

Elbi Henshaw, 23, (pictured) from north London, set off for Dubai in January after falling in love with the Arabian peninsula while on holiday there

One person shared a video of a packed beach on TikTok, with the caption: ‘So crowded’

Charlie Morgan (pictured) moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2023, as a ‘business decision’ more so than a personal one, thanks to Dubai’s lucrative tax-free earnings

Meanwhile one woman, who posts on TikTok under the username ‘thesojournerstravel’ revealed she was forced to leave Dubai because ‘she couldn’t afford it anymore’.  

She said: ‘We left Dubai because we just genuinely could not afford the cost of living anymore.

‘But for us it was not because we could not afford the cost of living because we were paid a low salary, it was because things were changing and costs were rising at a rate that didn’t make sense for the investments and savings we wanted to have.’

Another Brit, Aidan Doyle, who moved to Dubai three years ago, said things have drastically changed in the city. He explained there is an increased pressure to match the wealth of your neighbours. 

He told The Times: ‘When you get a little sniff of money, and the next thing you’re spending £1,000 a day at a beach club. 

‘There’s a lot of pressure to keep up with the Joneses.’

Moreover, a British woman who moved to Dubai to escape the ‘miserable’ UK lifestyle revealed that she has ending up working six days a week to afford living in the city.

Elbi Henshaw, 23, from north London, set off for Dubai in January after falling in love with the Arabian peninsula while on holiday there.

She had previously done a stint working in Saudi Arabia and believed she would score a better quality of life in Dubai – but soon found herself struggling to make ends meet.

With financial support from her parents, Elbi was able to afford the initial move earlier this year and quickly found herself a job in a gym full of ‘high end clients’.

Elbi said she has now settled in the city, where influencers flock for VIP treatment, but admitted she misses British culture and pubs.

She has also struggled to fully immerse herself in the opulence touted by influencers online due to the high cost of living in the city.

One TikTokker, who specialises in opening up companies in the UAE, warned people who cannot guarantee a secure income against coming to Dubai

Elbi has been forced to pick up extra shifts at the gym and now works six days a week. Pictured: A beach in Dubai 

Luxury restaurants are a major draw in Dubai, including this one near Burj Khalifa Lake 

And because of the exorbitant price of nearly everything – with even a pot of yoghurt costing £12 – she has been forced to pick up extra shifts at the gym and now works six days a week.

It comes as the influx of expats looking to cash in on Dubai’s property market has increased the price of houses and rent. 

Jobs are also in higher demand – with it becoming more and more difficult for Brits to find roles with competitive salaries. 

One TikTokker, who specialises in opening up companies in the UAE, warned people who cannot guarantee a secure income against coming to Dubai.

 Marium, who posts on the account ‘yahesaaccounting’, said: ‘It [Dubai] is not what it is on social media. 

‘It might not necessarily be like that for you if you were to move out here. 

‘So bear that in mind and don’t be disheartened if when you come here you are not driving around in Lamborghinis every day because that is not reality. 

‘And here are my dos and don’ts for moving to Dubai. The first thing is, I would get a legitimate job offer. 

‘I’ve heard of a lot of people where the employers would actually pull out last minute and they have made all their moves in the UK. 

‘They have their packing company sorted, they have told their employer they are moving etcetera. 

‘Also definitely consider income, the reason for this is that a lot of the jobs here are not paying what they used to pay anymore because there are just so many people coming here. 

‘You really need to stand out from the crowd now [on job applications] as there are just so many applicants.’ 

Vehicles are driven along a road with Dubai’s iconic skyline in the background last December 

Shannon Hynes, who runs TikTok account ‘thesimplestep’, explained the things in Dubai that were more expensive than in the UK

Mounting living costs and an increased competition for jobs is making the Dubai dream a more difficult reality for some (stock photo) 

Dubai is currently the world’s 15th most expensive city to live in, having climbed three places in Mercer’s 2024 ranking.

It has the highest cost of living in the Middle East, caused by the 21 per cent jump in house prices.

It was exceeded by London, which increased nine places to 8th position. However, Dubai is still now more expensive than Tel Aviv, Miami, Chicago, Paris and Berlin.

In January this year, the Daily Mail reported on data from crowdsourced database Numbeo, which revealed an imported 330ml beer was half the price in London, at an average of £5.25 – compared to £10.93 in Dubai.

Meanwhile, a cappuccino was £3.74 in London against £4.67 in Dubai.

A McDonalds meal was roughly the same, at £8 in London compared to £7.65 in Dubai.

Cigarettes were 70 per cent cheaper with a 20 pack of Marlboro costing an average of £16.25 in London or £5.03 in Dubai.

An average basic utility bill for electricity, heating, cooling, water and garbage for an 85 sq metre apartment in London was £236.75 or £183.23 in Dubai.

But internet access was significantly more in the UAE, with a minimum 60 mbps connection with unlimited data costing £80.97 in Dubai or £31.53 in London.

As for clothes shopping, a pair of Levi 501 jeans was £77 in London or £60 in Dubai, while a pair of mid-range Nike running trainers was £90 in London or £84 in Dubai.

Shannon Hynes, who runs TikTok account ‘thesimplestep’ said: ‘These are the things that are just so expensive in Dubai there is nothing you can do about it.

‘Number one is gyms. You just have to accept that if you want to look you will have to pay for it. 

‘Clothes – the shops are quite considerably more expensive here. Your high street stores – H&M, Zara – however the collections are way better than at home. 

‘You pay about 25 per cent more. Everything is more expensive here. So when you can buy things pre-coming over here or when you fly elsewhere, try and do that.

‘Random things like toiletries, shampoo, toiletries, body wash are just way more expensive.’