Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Careem (Hala Taxi for cheaper government rates) or Uber
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Careem BIKE (20 AED/day) and Tier/Lime scooters in Marina/JLT
- Best Beach Nearby
- Kite Beach (Public/Free) or JBR Beach
- Top Regional Airline
- flydubai (Terminal 2)
- Top International Airline
- Emirates Airline (Terminal 3)
- Highway Access
- Sheikh Zayed Road (E11) and Al Khail Road (E44)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Union Metro Station (Interchange for Red and Green lines)
- Public Transport Passes
- Nol Card (Silver/Gold); Monthly pass approx. 350 AED
- Regional Travel
- RTA Intercity Bus to Abu Dhabi (E101) - 25 AED
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Mediclinic City Hospital (MBRZ) or American Hospital Dubai
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Shimis Yoga (Alserkal Avenue) - 120 AED/class; Seva Experience (Jumeirah)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- GymNation (Multiple locations, 199 AED/mo) or Warehouse Gym
- Laundry Services
- Washmen App (Clean and press from 10-15 AED per item)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Talabat, Deliveroo, and Noon Food
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Machboos (Spiced rice with meat) at Al Fanar Seafood Market
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Wild & The Moon (Al Quoz) or Little Erth by Nabz&G (JLT)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Salt (Lotus Shakes) or Home Bakery (Galleria Mall)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Viva Supermarket or Lulu Hypermarket
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.ae and Noon.com
- Grocery Delivery
- Instashop or Careem Quik (15-min delivery)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Soho Garden (Meydan) or Pier 7 (Dubai Marina)
- Local Brewery
- Craft Beer Company (DIFC) - Note: Alcohol brewed off-site but served fresh
- Wine Bars
- The Wine Berri (DIFC) or Grapeskin (City Walk)
- Street Food Stalls
- Global Village (Seasonal) or Ravi Restaurant (Satwa) for pakistani curry
- Popular International Cuisine
- Din Tai Fung (Mall of the Emirates) or Zuma (DIFC)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Palm Jumeirah
- Museums & Art Venues
- Etihad Museum, Al Shindagha Museum, Theatre of Digital Art (SOUK Madinat)
- Historical Sites
- Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood (Bastakiya)
- Religious Sites
- Jumeirah Mosque (Open to non-muslims)
- Annual Events
- Dubai Shopping Festival (Jan), Dubai Food Festival (May)
- Cultural Districts
- Al Quoz (Alserkal Avenue) for contemporary art
- Theater Venues
- Dubai Opera (Downtown)
- Local Markets
- Gold Souk and Spice Souk (Deira)
- Music Scene
- Coca-Cola Arena (International acts) or Bla Bla (Live bands/DJs)
- Street Art
- City Walk Street Art murals and 2nd December Street
- Cooking Classes
- The Scafa (School of Culinary and Finishing Arts) JLT
- Art Galleries
- Carbon 12 and Grey Noise (Alserkal Avenue)
- Historic Buildings
- Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House
- Local Heritage
- Falconry, Pearl Diving history, and Arabic Calligraphy
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Hatta Dam (Kayaking) and Al Qudra Lakes
- National Parks Nearby
- Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Al Qudra Cycling Track (86km loop) or Dubai Canal Boardwalk
- Scenic Viewpoints
- The View at The Palm or Sky Views Dubai Observatory
- Birdwatching Locations
- Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary (Flamingos)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Love Lake (Al Qudra) designated BBQ pits
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Aramex or DHL Express
- Tech Repair Services
- Minutes (Malls) or Geeks (On-demand repair)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Dubai Sports City or Spinners (Table Tennis clubs)
- Language Classes
- Eton Institute (Knowledge Village) for Arabic
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Mohammed Bin Rashid Library (Creek side)
- Community Centers
- The Yard (Al Khawaneej) or Town Square Park
- Gaming Lounges
- Que Club (Al Barsha) or Hub Zero (City Walk)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- None (Gambling is illegal in UAE)
Essentials
- City
- Dubai, Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Population
- 3,650,000
- Internet Speed
- Avg. 250 Mbps (Fiber), 5G widely available (300+ Mbps)
- Currency & Banking
- UAE Dirham (AED), 1 USD ≈ 3.67 AED (Pegged)
- Tap Water
- Safe to drink but desalination taste makes bottled/filtered (e.g., Mai Dubai) preferred
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type G (British standard)
- SIM Card
- Etisalat and Du; Visitor lines approx. 125 AED ($34) for 10GB
- Banking for Expats
- Emirates NBD, Wio (Digital Bank), Revolut (multi-currency support)
- Accommodation
- Property Finder, Bayut, and Airbnb (Monthly rentals average 8,000 - 15,000 AED)
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, nearly 100% cashless via Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cards
- Short Term Rentals
- Blueground, Deluxe Holiday Homes, and Airbnb
- Budget Accommodation
- California Hostel Dubai Beach (JBR) - Approx. 150 AED/night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Downtown Dubai (Burj Khalifa) or Dubai Marina
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC) for value, or Dubai Marina/JLT for community
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- A4 Space (Alserkal Avenue) - Free; Astrolabs (JLT) - 1,500 AED/month
- Best Cafe for Work
- The Guild (DIFC) or Nightjar Coffee Roasters (Alserkal Avenue)
- Networking Events
- Step Conference (Tech), Dubai FinTech Summit, and Meetup.com Dubai Tech groups
- Social Events for Expats
- Internations Dubai, DXB Nomads WhatsApp groups, and Saturday brunches
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 28,000 AED per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 1,120,000 AED)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 15,000 AED per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 600,000 AED)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 25,000 AED per m² (e.g., 65 m² = 1,625,000 AED)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 13,000 AED per m² (e.g., 65 m² = 845,000 AED)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 22,000 AED per m² (e.g., 100 m² = 2,200,000 AED)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 11,000 AED per m² (e.g., 100 m² = 1,100,000 AED)
- Corporate Tax
- 9% on taxable income exceeding 375,000 AED
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 0%
- Tax System
- Territorial for individuals; No personal income tax
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 0%
- VAT
- 5%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- No specific CFC rules for individuals
- Property Tax
- No annual property tax, but 5% municipality fee on annual rent
- Property Transaction Tax
- 4% DLD (Dubai Land Department) transfer fee
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- 0% personal tax and a 1-year renewable Remote Work Visa