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New city, new accommodation, new venture, new friends, new everything! Is it exciting or overwhelming?
It is OVERWHELMING! When you move to a new place, there is a lot of excitement about how your new life in the new city or new country is going to be, but with that excitement comes anxiety. How will I make it? Will I get the right accommodation, right professional opportunities and most importantly, will I be able to make new friends? The answer is yes, everything will fall into place. But it will take time.
I moved to Dubai three months ago from Melbourne, and I still feel I have not figured out the city and where I fit into this massive concrete jungle of the Middle East. My journey has been filled with adventures. From one shitty hotel to another, I have found temporary accommodation literally everywhere but not where I want to be. Because where I want to be is very expensive.
Why I moved to Dubai?
Dubai has lots of perks, the most popular being its tax structure. NO INCOME TAX and corporate tax as low as 9% on income above AED 375,000. Isn’t that great? But that’s not why I moved. I moved because I wanted to start fresh. I wanted a second chance to make it big, live the kind of life I always wanted to, and Dubai had everything I wanted. From its central location that offers a lot of benefits for frequent travellers like myself to a world filled with opportunities, Dubai had it all.
What were the challenges?
While it offered a lot of opportunities, there were a lot of challenges as well. Dubai is expensive to live in. If your income is not above 10k AED per month, you’ll struggle to afford living here. The other big challenge is the weather. Fortunately, I moved when the weather was not too bad and still very habitable; however, I have heard it gets extremely hot from May till September. The good areas to find accommodation (both long-term and short-term) are Dubai Marina, Business Bay, DIFC, and Discovery Gardens, but these are all very expensive and high in demand. Better alternatives to these locations are JVC (Jumeirah Village Circle), Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Investment Park. Try to find a location closer to a metro station.
How is it going?
It’s a rollercoaster! Some days feel like I’m living the dream—meeting new people, exploring vibrant cafes, and discovering hidden gems across the city. Other days, I feel lost, questioning if this move was the right decision. But that’s part of the journey, isn’t it? Finding your place in a city as dynamic as Dubai takes time.
The best part? The energy here is infectious. There’s something about Dubai that makes you want to hustle harder, dream bigger, and push your limits. Every corner of this city screams ambition. And that’s what keeps me going.
So, if you’re planning to move here—brace yourself. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. The challenges will shape you, the opportunities will surprise you, and one day, you’ll wake up and realise that you’ve made this city your own.
Here’s to new beginnings and making it work, one step at a time!
