7 Reasons Why I Never Considered Moving to the UAE

For as long as I have lived in Europe and the United Kingdom, I have been asked the same question: “Why don’t you move to Dubai?”

Sometimes it comes from friends in India, sometimes from colleagues, and occasionally even from recruiters who assume that any Indian engineer would naturally gravitate toward the Gulf. The logic always sounds straightforward: higher salaries, no income tax, and proximity to India. To be fair, these are real advantages. Yet, despite multiple opportunities in my field—FPGA development in industries like ADAS, medical devices, and aerospace—I have never seriously considered moving there.

After more than a decade in Europe, my perspective is no longer theoretical; it is a lived experience.

1. The Dubai vs. London Comparison Problem

The UAE narrative often sounds more attractive than it really is because of how comparisons are framed. Most discussions pit Dubai against London, Amsterdam, or Frankfurt. But that comparison ignores how Europe actually functions.

When people move to the UK or Europe, they do not limit themselves to major capitals. In over ten years, I have managed to work on state-of-the-art tech while living in smaller, high-quality cities. Engineering jobs exist in a variety of hubs—places like Portsmouth, Eindhoven, or Freiburg (I have lived and worked in all three cities). These cities host advanced industries but offer significantly lower living costs than global capitals.

In the UAE, opportunities are hyper-concentrated. When we compare Dubai to London, we are essentially comparing it to the costliest city on earth. By living in smaller European cities, I have never had to worry about the “cost of living crisis.” I have learned that life does not have to revolve around the most expensive urban centers to be professionally fulfilling.

2. The “Risk Aggregation” Problem

In a diverse economy like Germany’s or the UK’s, you have industrial clusters. If one sector or company faces a downturn, you have geographical and industrial alternatives. In the Gulf, the job market is highly concentrated in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If your industry takes a hit, you have no “next city over” to pivot to. You are forced to relocate internationally again. This is a form of career “risk aggregation” that makes you much more vulnerable to local shocks. In practical terms, you are often just one layoff away from having to leave the country.

In Europe, if one city slows down, another cluster often picks up. In the Gulf, when the music stops, the entire dance floor can go silent.

3. Education: Life Without Financial Anxiety

I do not have children myself, but I have seen the financial burden faced by families in the Gulf—and the relative ease experienced by families in Europe. In Europe and the UK, state-funded schools provide high-quality, safe, and free education. In the UAE, you must pay hefty international school fees—often a “hidden tax” that erodes the benefit of a higher salary. For people with kids, this is the biggest deal breaker.

My own journey in Bremen, Germany, where I completed my Masters, was a revelation. I studied with zero tuition fees, and my registration fees covered subsidized public transport. For someone from India, experiencing a system designed to help students succeed—rather than burden them with debt—changed my definition of what a “good life” abroad should look like.

For students in Europe and the UK, many aspects of life—from travel to healthcare—are heavily subsidized.

4. The “Pay-to-Play” Infrastructure

In Europe, much of what makes life stable—libraries, safe pedestrian paths, public transport, public parks, and reliable healthcare—is funded as a public good. It is accessible regardless of your net worth. For example, I am an avid reader, and every city I move to has public libraries where I can borrow books for free; even university libraries are often accessible to outsiders like myself for free.

In the UAE, life is highly commercialised. If your income hits a snag, your standard of living collapses because you lose access to the private-sector services sustaining it. You are constantly paying to play, whereas here, the infrastructure exists to serve the public.

5. Life Beyond Work and the Cycling Culture

I enjoy sports—whether it is cricket, squash, or anything that gets me outdoors. In Europe, sports infrastructure exists in every town—not just for elite athletes, but for ordinary people. It is a community fixture. Could I imagine playing cricket regularly in Dubai? When temperatures approach 48°C, outdoor sports become survival, not recreation.

Furthermore, I love cycling. In Europe, it is a way of life—a culture of dedicated bike lanes, forests, and countryside routes. In Dubai, the heat makes such a simple, healthy, and cost-effective mode of transport nearly impossible for most of the year.

Small details like this define the rhythm of everyday life.

6. Freedom of Expression and Cultural Integration

There is an “elephant in the room” regarding how societies behave. I find the culture in India is quite close to the culture in the West—fully functional democracies, built on diversity, acceptance, and integration. Both the west and India are quite liberal, pluralistic and debate-heavy in their approaches, but the same can’t be said for the middle east.

I write. I run a blog where I express strong opinions about politics and society. Freedom of expression is a fundamental principle here. Controversial opinions can be debated or challenged—but they are rarely forbidden.

Would I feel equally comfortable writing provocative opinions in the Middle East? Probably not. There are documented examples of individuals facing hardships simply because they said something that wasn’t liked by the powers that be. I pay a “tax” in Europe—literally and figuratively—for the privilege of living in a society that doesn’t demand total alignment. For me, that “tax” is a high-value subscription for intellectual and personal freedom.

7. The “Guest” Reality: Why You Can’t Build a Home on a Transaction

The most profound difference between Europe and the Gulf is the distinction between building a life and renting one.

In Europe and the UK, your presence is guided by a clear roadmap toward becoming a stakeholder. Whether it takes five years in Germany or the UK to reach permanent residency or citizenship, the system is designed to eventually integrate you into the political and social fabric(this is not a deal-breaker for me but is a deal-breaker for many). You are not just a worker; you are a future citizen with a voice. You see this reflected in the political landscape—Indian-origin individuals increasingly hold high-ranking positions as lawmakers, ministers, and civil servants in Western democracies because the system eventually recognizes them as “one of us.”

In contrast, the UAE model is purely transactional. You are a guest in someone else’s house on an employment-linked visa. Your ability to stay is tied directly to your current job; lose that role, and your residency may disappear. Even after decades of living there, most expatriates remain “expats.” You may be economically successful, but you remain a temporary resident whose right to exist in the country is contingent on your utility to the economy.

Conclusion: Building a Life vs. Building a Balance Sheet

None of this means the UAE is not attractive. For many, especially those seeking short-term financial gains, the Gulf is rewarding. But ultimately, the choice depends on what someone wants from life.

Some optimize for income; others optimize for stability, freedom, and lifestyle. For me, the decision has always been simple. The real difference between Europe and the Gulf is not tax rates or salaries. It is the lifestyle and the life itself.

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