Dubai has a well-established reputation as a magnet for expats, and now it’s topped this year’s Mercer Quality of Living index in the Middle East and Africa (MENA) region for the tenth consecutive year.
In terms of quality of living, the index ranks Dubai at number one in the Middle East and Africa and at number 74 worldwide, out of 230 global cities that were graded by Mercer. Most companies in Dubai work hard to attract expat talent, usually by offering large pay cheques and a range of benefits.
However, this high quality of living does come at a price. A survey from The National (carried out by YouGov) found that of 1,100 respondents, 17% of expats living in the United Arab Emirates would ‘consider’ leaving because of the high cost of living, while 33% said they ‘might’ leave.
Despite the high costs, favourable exchange rates mean that expats who send money back home have, effectively, been earning more than they would have had they not moved to the UAE.
