Hi all,
We are currently in Saudi (four years) but might be moving to the UAE. We work very internationally and so wouldn't be there for more than say half the year, possibly less. Can anyone tell me about Emirates outside of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Def not interested in living in Dubai - not because of the current situation but would rather not pay the premium as won't be there that much. I haven't been to any of the others. Would really appreciate any feedback as to what others might be like in terms of housing, ease of living etc. Any we shouldn't even consider etc. Thanks a lot in advance

Hi there Leepee, I think Sharjah is the obvious answer if cost is the priority, it's around 20 minutes from Dubai, rents roughly 40-50% cheaper. The trade-off is they have stricter social rules (no alcohol sold in the emirate) and the Sharjah-Dubai border traffic can be brutal during rush hour, but it's fine if you're not commuting daily.

The other option to consider is Ras Al Khaimah, it has improved significantly in the last few years. It's a lot quieter, more space, decent housing, and RAK's own freezone if that's relevant. Also has a growing expat community but still nothing like Dubai's.

Then you have Ajman which is cheaper still but infrastructure and amenities are noticeably thinner, so most expats there are commuting into Dubai for work and social life anyway.

Given you're only there half the year, RAK or Sharjah make more sense than Ajman. Coming from Saudi, Sharjah's social environment will feel familiar without the full Dubai premium.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for this...I will take a look at them