Moving to Dubai and Living in the Middle East

Few places have made themselves as welcoming to newcomers as the cities of the Gulf. Residents enjoy year-round sunshine, beaches and desert on the doorstep, superb safety, excellent schools and hospitals, and some of the best air connections on earth. In Dubai, more than eight in ten residents come from abroad, and English is spoken everywhere in daily and business life.

Each city has its own character. Dubai is cosmopolitan and fast-moving; Abu Dhabi is calmer, greener and cultural, with the Louvre and the coming Guggenheim; Riyadh is the energetic capital of a transforming Saudi Arabia; Doha is refined and family-focused; and Muscat is gentle, mountainous and close to nature. Many people visit first: our guides to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Doha and Muscat are a good place to start.

Driving: visitors can generally drive in the UAE on a US license, and new residents can usually exchange a US license for a UAE license without a test, since the United States is on the approved list; Saudi Arabia and Qatar have similar exchange routes for residents. Roads are excellent and fuel is inexpensive by American standards.

Banking: you will normally need a residence visa and an Emirates ID (or the local equivalent) to open a personal account; local and international banks offer full digital banking. Remember that US citizens remain subject to US tax filing wherever they live, so speak to a US-qualified tax adviser; our page on private banks and advisers is a starting point.

Health and schools: health insurance is mandatory for residents in the UAE and widely provided by employers, and the region's private hospitals are first class; see private healthcare. American, British and IB curricula are all available; see international schools.