dominoman

I have my shipping lorry coming soon and I have some spare space to take a few extras to Abi Dhabi.

Is there anything that is much cheaper in the UK than UAE that I should take? I’m thinking things like shampoos, cleaning products, socks?

I've not lived in the UAE before so any advice helps. Thanks

hnd

Taylors of Yorkshire English Breakfast Tea � ����

scot47

You are going to fill a container with shampoos, cleaning products and socks ? All of these are cheaper in the Gulf. As for the tea, if you look around in the Gulf you will find a much better selection of different types of tea than in these offshore islands. My own preference is for Ceylon Tae packaged in Jeddah - Rabea. Can't find it anywhere in the UKofGB&NI.

Bahtatboy

Pork pies, cheese, marmite, wine and port.

dominoman

Yeah. Thanks. But I don't want to get arrested the moment I arrive.

It's a serious question. I just dont know which things are way more expensive in Abu Dhabi. Not shampoo and cleaning stuff then it seems.

IKnowNothing

Bedding from "The White Company" anything that Harvey Nichols or M and S sells.

Bahtatboy

I don't recall what the limits are on importing booze, but none of the above are illegal in UAE. Actually, I'm not sure about Marmite...

Sabi Star

If you like quality and/or luxury items such as silk socks, miele appliances or even air fryers etc. they can be obtained much cheaper in UK on sales and discounts which you will not find in UAE.

archie159

It's illegal to ship most of those items in a private container... The limits they quote at airports only apply to stuff you are bringing with you in a plane. When customs search your container, which they probably will, any pork or booze will be removed. And I dread to think what the cheese would be like after a month in a metal container sitting in the sun...

Good-quality mens clothing and shoes are mostly cheaper in the UK (especially if you can buy during a sale). Though tailoring is very cheap in the UAE, it is a a big struggle to get good fabrics. If you intend to get suits made for you, maybe bring the fabric and get it tailored here.

DXBtoDOH

Hmm?

Tailoring is big business here. Tonnes of fabric shops. The big ones all sell top notch British and Italic fabrics for suits. Just go to any first rate tailor.

archie159

Your definition of top-notch fabric is obviously different from mine (and many others). Indeed, that is why a few people (Brits and others) I know in AD have just opened their own tailoring business (which got a fair bit of coverage in The National), in which the "unique selling point" is that they have sourced the highest quality fabrics from England and N. Ireland which is otherwise hard to obtain.

DXBtoDOH

And as such they are now obtainable here, no?

Maybe there's a selection of extremely top notch Savile Row quality that isn't so easily found but then again the demand for them probably won't be normal for someone asking questions about filling up a container

Can't speak for AD but Dubai has a bunch of expensive custom tailoring shops in DIFC and other places. They have a pretty good reputation and thriving trade among affluent Emiratis and expats. Leonard Logsdail in Dubai does high end tailoring and I'd probably go to them first, even driving up from AD, before importing fabric on my own because if you're fussed about superbly high quality fabric then the other half of the story is superbly high quality tailoring - no point bringing in fabric until you're satisfied with the tailoring you find here first.

Millhouse

Patience and humility.

And probably some humble pie from Costco

Thrillhouse

Protein Shake and lots of it! It's triple the cost.

scrubbedexpat141

Endless optimism that people will do what they say they'll do.