Influencers are moaning life in Dubai is ‘too hard’ and are moving back to the UK

It’s a windy and wet afternoon in the UK, and opening Instagram I’m met by countless photos of influencers sunning themselves on the beach with the iconic Burj Al Arab in the background. But, life isn’t all as it seems. After moving there to chase a glam life in the sun, many influencers are now moaning about what the reality of life in Dubai actually is.

You’ve probably noticed more and more people on your feed moving to Dubai, chasing a life of full-time social media, better salaries and lower taxes. There’s been a whole flurry of UK influencers packing up and leaving to head there for work instead. But in the last few weeks the tide has changed. More and more posts are saying influencers are coming back. Some have said the pressures of being an influencer over there are “too hard”.

A travel influencer on TikTok shared a video in which she said she was leaving Dubai as she “couldn’t afford it anymore.” She said: “We couldn’t afford the cost of living anymore. It wasn’t because we were paid a low salary, it was because the rate at which things were changing and costs were rising was at a rate that didn’t make sense for the investments and savings we wanted to have.”

@thesojournerstravel

Replying to @Simon the truth about why we left Dubai! It works for some people and we love it, but this was an important share! #buildingwealth #movingabroad #dubaiexpat #dubailife #financialfreedom #wealthcreation

♬ original sound – ASH & J | Family & Wealth 💸✈️

23-year-old Instagram influencer Aidan Doyle moved to UAE three years ago, after building a significant following posting videos about his life as a real estate agent. He said there he was “surrounded by like-minded people” and able to wear his Rolex “without being robbed.” Speaking to The Times, he added he would  “never have been insured on a G-wagon in the UK, at my age”.

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But, he said the “pressure” of the lifestyle is now too much. He said: “When you get a little sniff of money, and the next thing you’re spending £1,000 a day at a beach club. There’s a lot of pressure to keep up with the Joneses.”

Elbi Henshaw is also 23, and moved to Dubai in the New Year. She said she was fed up of the “miserable” and “sedentary” life the UK had to offer, so traded it in. Elbi admitted at first she had wanted to live in a “luxurious” city. But now, she’s said the prices are too high.

Elbi described life there as “dog eat dog” and said people are forced to work six days a week to keep up with costs. She noted rent is more expensive, as are clothes and coffee. But, she loves to keep up a lifestyle visiting beach clubs and pools, one of which was recently visited by Love Islanders Molly-Mae Hague and Kady McDermott.

via SWNS

Charlie Morgan, an entrepreneur who moved to the United Arab Emirates in 2023, said in a video he was first attracted to Dubai because of tax-free earnings and safety. But now, after making £30million there, he’s left it behind. He explained the cons of the lifestyle now outweigh the pros.

“The issue with Dubai is everyone plans to leave. It’s a revolving door of a city which means that people come and people leave,” he said.

Ross Irvine, the financial director of William Russell which specialises in insurance for expats, told the Daily Mail Dubai is starting to “lose its shine”. He said: “For many years, Dubai has been the jewel in the crown for British expats, offering tax-free salaries, year-round sunshine, and a fast-moving lifestyle. But recent reports indicate that for some, the shine is dimming slightly.

“The cost of living has risen sharply, housing rents are at record highs, schooling and healthcare are increasingly expensive, and everyday costs from groceries to leisure are far steeper than they once were. At the same time, the job market is becoming more competitive as the city matures and becomes a victim of its own success in attracting global talent.”

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