Originally Posted by Scamp

You're the only person who has ever said my advice is sage, so thanks. It probably isn't though.
You can change jobs far easier than ever before, so that isn't a real concern anymore. Certainly nothing like the Qatar NOC shit show.

To be honest, I'm just having a dig at tourists, they're just such *****. So many from shit countries like Russia and China on top of the Essex wankers we have to tolerate.
Inflation is real though, there are price rises everywhere at the moment, just a few dibs here and there but noticeable. My apartment was 120k in 2020 when we moved in, renewed at the same in 2021. They're on property finder for 165-210k now.....can't wait for renewal time and the usual ****wittery that the landlords employ as tactics.
Expo seems to be the excuse for everything, but when it ends in less than two months are things going to plummet and come back to normal? Doubt it, maybe rent prices will a bit but still not that sure it'll happen.

Sorry, don't let this put you off; I'm having a really shit morning dealing with wankers at work who are as competent as a chocolate fireguard.

Originally Posted by DXBtoDOH

The AED is tied to the USD. One would think rampant inflation in the US must be having an impact on the AED.

Originally Posted by Scamp

It really is becoming harder to justify staying in the UAE. The money is about the only thing I think that's left being a real positive. It's got busy as shit again, in a few months it'll be horribly hot, the work culture is about as toxic as it can be, the working week changing to mon-fri has been a bit of a shame and the thought of arguing with a landlord in a few months over the price increasing c50% is just laughable. I think I'm just tired of it to be fair, we don't do the glitzy bullshit, we enjoy the weather now without absolutely gorging ourselves on fresh air ('fresh') and to be perfectly open, I'm hoping bonus time next month makes me want to stay a bit longer but can't see much beyond another year or so here before it's time to make a decision.

Originally Posted by captainflack

I spent 8 years in Dubai, last 8 in Portugal half hour south of Lisbon. Really don't miss Dubai at all. Still have the odd repeating nightmare where I am back in Dubai and *free* but cannot leave because if I went to the airport or the authorities catch up with me, I'd get thrown in jail and tortured.

In Dubai, I think it's quite easy to fall into the trap of buying into the relentless self-promotion telling you its the best place in the world, but I am much happier here and have fewer worries. We did ok in Dubai, but unexpectedly we ended up financially making more here than we ever did in Dubai too though it took a few years. Weirdly, wine is 2 EUR for a decent local bottle here, beer is available at coffee stands and McDonalds at the mall, and yet there are fewer drunken arseholes than in Dubai.