Everyone talks about the tax-free salary, the year-round sunshine, the brunches. Nobody warns you about the DEWA deposit. Or the fact that your perfectly valid UK driving licence is about as useful as a Tesco Clubcard when you land at DXB. After three years of helping families settle into Dubai, I have heard the same surprises repeated over and over. Here are the seven that catch people off guard the most.
1. The DEWA Deposit Will Sting Your First Week
Before you can switch on a light or run a tap in your new apartment, you need to set up a DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority) account. That means a refundable security deposit of AED 2,000 for an apartment or AED 4,000 for a villa. On top of that, there is a non-refundable AED 100 activation fee plus a knowledge fee and innovation fee that add up to around AED 130. Nobody budgets for this. You have just paid a 5% agency fee, a security deposit to the landlord, bought flights, shipped your life across the world — and then DEWA needs another few thousand before you can have hot water. Put this money aside before you board the plane.
2. Your Driving Licence Probably Needs More Than a Swap
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) allows direct licence conversion for residents from 36 countries, including the UK, US, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia. You still need an eye test from an RTA-approved optician and your original licence translated (if it is not in English or Arabic). But if you hold a licence from India, Pakistan, the Philippines, or most African nations, you are starting from scratch — a full driving course at an approved school, which runs AED 6,000 to AED 10,000 and takes weeks. I have seen people assume they will be driving within days of landing and end up relying on taxis for three months. Check the RTA list before you arrive and plan accordingly.
3. Summer Does Not Mean "A Bit Warm"
June through September, outdoor temperatures regularly hit 45 to 48 degrees Celsius. Humidity can reach 90% near the coast. Walking from your apartment to your car feels like opening an oven door and stepping inside. Outdoor brunches stop. Pool time shifts to after 5 PM or before 7 AM. Parks are empty. Your children will spend summer at indoor play areas in malls, and your electricity bill will triple because the AC runs 24 hours a day. If you are arriving in October through April, Dubai feels like paradise. If your first month is July, you will wonder what you have done. Plan your social life around indoor venues for four months, and genuinely consider a summer holiday back home or in Europe — most long-term expats do exactly that.
4. Healthcare Insurance Does Not Mean Free Healthcare
Dubai mandates health insurance for all visa holders — your employer must provide it under Dubai Health Authority (DHA) regulations. But "insured" does not mean "free." Most plans carry a 20% co-pay, meaning a AED 500 GP visit costs you AED 100 out of pocket. Specialist consultations, dental work, physiotherapy — co-pays stack up fast, especially with a family. A routine paediatric visit plus medication can run AED 200-300 after insurance. Budget AED 500-800 per month for a family of four in out-of-pocket medical costs. It is not London NHS territory, and if your employer provides a basic plan, consider topping it up privately.
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5. The Hidden 5% Fee on Every Rent Payment
Every residential tenant in Dubai pays a 5% municipality fee calculated on annual rent, collected monthly through your DEWA bill. Renting at AED 120,000 per year? That is an additional AED 6,000 annually — AED 500 per month added to your DEWA bill that nobody mentioned during the apartment viewing. It is not optional, it is not negotiable, and it catches almost every new arrival by surprise. Factor it into your rental budget from day one.
6. Cheques Are Not Dead — Your Landlord Wants Them
In most countries, post-dated cheques are relics from the 1990s. In Dubai, they are the standard rental payment method. Most landlords request one, two, four, or twelve post-dated cheques covering the full lease term. The fewer the cheques, the better deal you negotiate — paying in one cheque can save you AED 5,000-15,000 on annual rent versus twelve monthly cheques. You will need a UAE bank account with a chequebook, which means you need your Emirates ID first, which means your visa must be stamped. The whole chain takes two to three weeks from landing. Some landlords now accept bank transfers or credit card payments through platforms like Keyper, but cheques remain the norm, especially with individual landlords.
7. Your Grocery Budget Needs a Serious Adjustment
There is no Aldi. There is no Lidl. There is no Costco (yet — there are rumours). Grocery shopping in Dubai is noticeably more expensive than Western Europe for most staples. A litre of milk runs AED 7-9 (vs. roughly AED 4 equivalent in the UK). Chicken breast is AED 35-45 per kilo. Imported cheese and cold cuts are borderline luxury items. Your best options for value are Carrefour (especially the hypermarket branches in Mall of the Emirates or Ibn Battuta), Lulu Hypermarket, and Viva supermarkets for South Asian products. Budget AED 3,000-4,500 per month for a family of four, and learn to love the local brands — they are often half the price of imported equivalents and perfectly good quality. Also: Kibsons and Barakat deliver fresh produce boxes that cut your fruit and vegetable costs significantly compared to supermarket shopping.
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