• Lindsay Lohan says it's easier to stick to her routine as a mother while living in Dubai.
• "I get the privacy, I get the peace, I get the space. I don't have to worry there; I feel safe," she said.
• Other celebrities, like Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, have also left LA for privacy reasons.

Lindsay Lohan says she has fewer worries and finds it easier to stick to her routine as a mother while living in Dubai.

In an interview with Elle published on Tuesday, the actor, 38, spoke about her return to acting while juggling her duties as a mom.

The "Freaky Friday" star welcomed a son, Luai, with her husband, Bader Shammas, in July 2023. The couple met in Dubai and has been together since 2020.

"I love having a routine, and I like schedules. So, my morning routine: Waking up, writing in my journal, sipping my green tea, breakfast with my son. And then Pilates, making sure I go," Lohan told Elle.

Since becoming a mother, her daily life now mostly revolves around her family, especially her son.

"It's all about balance and, as I said, routine. Especially when you have a kid, routine is the most important thing. And whatever their routine is, I've got to live by that," Lohan said.

But it's difficult to continue with her routine whenever she is in Los Angeles due to the paparazzi.

"It's hard in LA. Even taking my son to the park in LA, I get stressed. I'm like, 'Are there cameras?' In New York, there's no worry; no one bothers us. Everyone has their own thing going on," Lohan said.

She prefers to have downtime in New York but admits Los Angeles has its perks — like all that space, she added.

"But I'm thinking as I'm saying this, the funny thing is, in Dubai I get all of those things. I get the privacy, I get the peace, I get the space. I don't have to worry there; I feel safe," Lohan said.

Lohan relocated to Dubai in 2014, stepping away from the Hollywood spotlight after years of public scrutiny. In the United Arab Emirates, it is against the law to take photos or videos of someone without their consent, even in a public space.

In March 2024, she told Bustle that she left the US because she felt like her work was being overshadowed by the paparazzi.

"I feel like that kind of took on a life of its own. So that's why I wanted to disappear. I was like, 'Unless there's no story here, they're not going to focus on just my work,'" Lohan said.

Lohan isn't the only Hollywood celebrity who has spoken about leaving Los Angeles due to privacy and safety concerns.

Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake left the city to shield their kids from the paparazzi. Since 2018, they have been living mostly in Tennessee and Montana.

Josh Hartnett told The Guardian in a July 2024 interview that he moved to the English countryside due to several run-ins with stalkers while living in Los Angeles.

A representative for Lohan had no additional comments for this story.

• Growing up, Anastasia Mills Healy's dad saw travel as a key part of her education.
• As an adult, she continued traveling with her sister, but that stopped in her 40s when she had kids.
• To celebrate her 50th birthday, she went on a trip with her sister to the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Growing up with an adventurous dad, my sister and I had seen most of the US and several other countries by the time we finished college.

He saw travel as a key part of our education — we wrote book reports on the places we visited, went on historical walking tours, and hit what felt like every museum from Kentucky to Cornwall.

My sister and I don't have any other siblings, and both our parents were only children, which meant no aunts, uncles, or cousins. It was just the four of us growing up. My mom, as a bit of a reluctant traveler, sometimes skipped our trips.

When our parents passed, I was married, had two young children, and worked part time while being the primary caregiver.

My sister and I lived across the country from each other — she was in California and I was in Connecticut. My sister, who doesn't have children, visited us several times a year.

I had kids late, at 40 and 41. In my single years, my sister and I traveled together and encountered a leopard in our South African safari lodge, parasailed above Key West, and pogoed at a Ramones gig in Brixton.

Over the years, our time together had morphed from tapas bar hopping in Barcelona to taking my children to a nearby playground. We were never able to finish a sentence without an interruption from a toddler.

Sister time

For my 50th birthday, I was determined that we should go on another adventure together.

I convinced my then-husband to watch the kids for a week during their spring break, while my sister and I finally embarked on another adventure. I lobbied that he wouldn't have to worry about homework, packing lunches, or getting them to and from school.

Despite the reasonably priced trip to the Middle East I had found, my sister took a bit of convincing — she wasn't as eager to explore that part of the world.

The travel package I booked included eight countries in one trip: all seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates — Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah — plus a stop in Oman. I paid $1,100 for airfare and four nights in Dubai. The other stops, plus a rental car, and seven nights of hotels added on about $1,900 more.

100 country goal

After checking off all 50 US states by my 30th birthday, I set my sights on a new goal: visiting 100 countries.

I follow the criteria set by the Traveler's Century Club, a group I hope to join one day. The club recognizes 330 "countries and territories," including all seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates as separate destinations.

I mapped out a driving route that added Oman, which helped me get one more country.

Once I've visited 100 countries, I'll be eligible to apply.

Kid-free travel bliss

As a travel professional and penguin lover, two experiences from the trip stood out as the best: a tour of the extraordinary Burj Al Arab hotel, with its gold lamé wallpaper and helipad, and the pure joy of having a tiny penguin hop across my lap.

The second experience took place at an indoor ski area in Dubai, located inside a mall. It was complete with a ski lift and resident penguins.

Other highlights included a visit to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, a stroll around the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and a ride up Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world. That's where we had a quiet cocktail to celebrate my half-century, overlooking the spouting fountains 122 floors below.

A lot of the trip would have been too complicated with my children. For example, the spa day wouldn't have been possible with kids. I also explored the Dubai Design District, shopped in souks, walked through the Al Fahidi Historic District, and spent a day on a boat in Oman.

Throughout the trip, I knew that had it been a family trip, the kids would have complained about the heat and the food.

Freedom made this trip possible

Put on your own oxygen mask before helping others, the airlines say. I concur. Women give so much, and we need — and deserve — the time to breathe and recharge. I've taken my children on as many trips as I could.

Now, I'm 57, divorced, and we — my kids, my sister, and I — just explored my 72nd country. In a few years, when my kids are grown and flown, my sister and I will embark on more far-flung adventures.

My plan is for her to accompany me to my 100th country. It only makes sense — she's been there for all the pivotal moments in my life.

• A penthouse in the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is on the market for $49 million.
• The home is about 2,300 feet off the ground, about 845 feet higher than the Empire State Building.
• The listing agent told BI he's surprised at how many calls he's gotten from interested Americans.

One homeowner has the chance to live above the clouds.

It'll only cost about $49 million.

A penthouse on the 107th and 108th floors of Dubai's iconic Burj Khalifa — a skyscraper with offices, a luxury hotel, and restaurants — is on the market for 180 million United Arab Emirates dirhams, or about $49 million.

The duplex home is nearly 2,300 feet off the ground, while the Burj Khalifa stands at 2,722 feet tall. For context, the Empire State Building is a mere 1,454 feet tall. New York City's Central Park Tower is the world's tallest primarily residential building at 1,550 feet; its penthouse previously held the highest title.

We don't even know how many bedrooms or bathrooms the 21,000-square-foot residence will hold — that'll be up to the buyer.

"It hasn't got rooms or toilets or baths or kitchens or anything like that, so it's just concrete ceilings, concrete floors, and just glass all around," listing agent Asad Khan told Business Insider.

"The type of person that would look at it would be an investor, who will take on the project and then obviously do the fit-out according to their requirements," Khan, of Invest Dubai Real Estate, added.

The duplex also comes with an indoor pool, a private elevator, and 12 parking spaces.

Khan's client, investor Karl Haddad, purchased the unit in 2020 for an undisclosed amount from Mohamed Alabbar, a founder of Emaar Properties, which developed the Burj Khalifa.

Haddad, the chairman and CEO of IRC Invest, doesn't have the time to build out the unit because he's busy with other projects, Khan said.

When he officially listed the duplex earlier this year, Khan added, he was "overwhelmed" by the amount of Americans who expressed interest.

Managers and agents of athletes, from basketball players to NASCAR drivers, have requested more information about the home, Khan told BI.

One of them was boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, he added.

"They're from various walks of life," Khan said. "We had a huge amount of inquiries in the US — and I don't know why that is."

Recent government data shows that Dubai's population has jumped by 3.85 million people since March 2020 — and 87% of that increase is expats.

The Burj Khalifa has 900 residential units ranging in price from 2.29 million United Arab Emirates dirhams (about $623,000) to 100 million United Arab Emirates dirhams (about $27.2 million), according to United Arab Emirates real-estate listings site Bayut.

Take a look at the highest penthouse in the world, nicknamed the Sky Palace.

Completed in 2010, the Burj Khalifa is 2,722 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the world.

New York City's Central Park Tower is the world's tallest primarily residential building at 1,550 feet.

The Burj Khalifa took six years to build between 2004 and 2010, costing about $1.5 billion, according to regional magazine Arabian Business.

Emaar Properties, one of the largest real-estate firms in the United Arab Emirates, developed the project.

The Burj Khalifa was designed by architect Adrian Smith, who also designed Central Park Tower in New York and the 1,380-foot Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai.

The Burj Khalifa has residences, retail, office space, and a restaurant across its 163 floors.

The residences end on floor 108. Above that are corporate offices.

Below the residences is a 304-room Armani Hotel.

According to the Armani Hotels website, a weekend stay in March costs between 1,650 United Arab Emirates dirhams and 22,500 United Arab Emirates dirhams a night (from $450 to $6,100).

Other amenities for residents of the tower include Japanese gardens and padel courts.

There are also three different observation decks in the building open to the public.

Floors 45 to 108 are private residences, topped by the two-floor penthouse on floors 107 and 108.

The residences range from studios to four-bedroom apartments.

The penthouse duplex for sale has a total of 21,000 square feet of space.

One of the floors has 7,000 square feet, and the other has 14,000 square feet, according to Khan.

It's the only unit in the building with a private indoor pool.

It also comes with 12 parking spaces.

The penthouse's 360 views from above the clouds, though, might be its unique selling point.

"On a clear day, you can see the mountains in Ras Al-Khaimah," Khan, the listing agent, told Business Insider. "You can see across the sea. You're looking down on all the other buildings below you — it's called 'Sky Palace' because you're above the clouds.'"

The seller, Karl Haddad, bought the property as an investment opportunity but had funding partners back out, so now he wants to sell.

"He's busy with other projects and other businesses that he has and doesn't have the time to run such a project," Khan said. "He's not a developer, he's not a builder, or a designer — that's not his game. He's into investments."

Haddad officially put the penthouse on the market earlier this year.

"We've been talking about selling since the middle of last year, and it's been floated around very softly," Khan said.

Khan said whoever buys the unit probably won't live in it and instead treat it as an investment.

"I don't think they're going to live in it because the kind of people that we've been approached by — these people are traveling all around the world, they're busy with their own lives in the US," Khan said. "I think it's more of a status symbol. 'I've got this,' or 'I will have this.' It just adds to the portfolio."

While the unit is unfinished, Khan thinks construction shouldn't take more than a year and a half to complete.

"The hard part is done," he said. "A project like this could potentially turn around within 12 months."

Khan believes that an investor has the potential to sell the penthouse for double its purchase price after it's complete.

Dubai has become popular among American expats.

Dubai's population has been increasing, adding to the demand for housing and squeezing supply.

Khan said he believes that the Dubai market is great for buyers who want to get a lot back from an investment.

"The supply is not there — the demand is there for buyers," he said. "Whoever takes this project on — and if they do it to the ultrawealthy level that it deserves — they will be rewarded accordingly."

It might be an American buyer who has the potential to create their dream home in the sky.

"It's a very iconic building," Khan said. "It's a world-class trophy asset. It's one-of-one and can't be replicated."

• A new survey suggests that Dubai's population growth is having a negative impact on expat salaries.
• As more expats compete for jobs, salaries are set to remain flat in 2025, Cooper Fitch found.
• But the recruitment agency said housing costs are up, which could shrink expats' disposable incomes.

As expats continue to relocate to Dubai, the cost of living is rising but salaries are expected to stagnate, according to a new survey by Dubai-based recruitment agency Cooper Fitch.

Cooper Fitch projects that salaries across the United Arab Emirates will flatline in 2025, with an average increase of 0%, despite expected GDP growth.

Its UAE Salary Guide 2025, based on a survey of business leaders from over 1,000 organizations, also notes that some market analysts warn the country's expanding expat population could eventually drive average salaries down.

Dubai is an expat hot spot

Foreigners have long been drawn to Dubai by tax-free incomes, a luxury lifestyle, and a warm climate.

Dubai's population has surged to about 3.85 million, with expats accounting for roughly 87%, according to government data.

This marks a population increase of about 475,000 people from March 2020.

The positive economic indicators, including inflows of foreign direct investment and rising GDP, may entice even more people to relocate to Dubai in the coming years.

However, Cooper Fitch said that when it comes to salary increases, the significant population growth is "balancing the economic gains."

Fiona Robson, the head of the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University Dubai, told BI that the influx of expats is expanding the talent pool for job vacancies.

As such, she said that salary stagnation "could be due to less of a need to offer premium salaries when there is already a good set of candidates to select from."

Salaries flatline, while living costs soar

Dubai remains a magnet for high-income earners, said Washika Haak-Saheem, the dean of Dubai Business School at the University of Dubai, in an email to BI.

However, those who are less well-off may be increasingly feeling the pinch.

Haak-Saheem said that for middle-income professionals "who are important to Dubai's dynamic economic growth, ensuring sustained salary growth remains an area of focus."

Dubai is now the costliest city in the Middle East for expats, and 15th globally, according to Mercer's Cost of Living 2024 ranking.

Housing is a major factor.

In the 12 months leading up to December 2024, rents rose by an average of 16%, said CBRE's head of MENA research, Matthew Green, in an email to BI.

"This has been driven by a rapidly rising population, with new supply failing to keep pace with demand," he said. And rents are forecast to rise even further in the coming quarters, Green added.

"The disparity between escalating living costs and stagnant salaries poses financial challenges for many expatriates," Rizwan Tahir, professor of global management at the Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai, told BI.

The cost of a growing population

Flatlining salaries and rising rents may be the price of Dubai's expanding expat community. Even so, the city plans to keep growing.

According to its urban development roadmap, Dubai aims to increase its population by an additional 5.8 million by 2040.

Going forward, available salaries and rents could lead to a reduction in disposable income for some, but Trefor Murphy, CEO of Cooper Fitch, said that context is key when it comes to salaries in the UAE.

"They're already at that very high level and it's tax-free," he said, adding: "People get paid really well."

Do you have a story to share about life as an expat in the UAE? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• Russian negotiators asked the US to consider restoring direct flights between the two countries.
• The aviation industry was shaken up by air space bans after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
• Emirates and Turkish Airlines are among the carriers that continued flying to Russia after the invasion.

Russia is growing tired of not being able to fly directly to the US.

During a meeting in Istanbul, Russian negotiators asked the US to consider restoring direct air service between the two countries, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

Air links were singled out by the ministry as a way of improving relations between the two powers.

The statement also said that both sides "meticulously explored avenues to overcome numerous irritants inherited from previous US administrations."

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the US, Canada, and most of Europe banned Russian aircraft from their airspace.

The move shook up the aviation industry as Russia retaliated by similarly barring North American and European airlines.

Aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus also stopped doing business with Russia.

This meant some customers, such as Air India, benefited as they received aircraft previously set to be delivered to Russian airlines.

Meanwhile, Russian carriers were left scrambling for spare parts — going as far as cannibalizing older jets or relying on the black market.

Aeroflot, Russia's flag carrier, still carries tens of millions of passengers a year.

Istanbul is the most popular international destination from Moscow, with more than 133,000 seats scheduled on such flights this month, according to data from Cirium.

Turkish Airlines' Airbus A330s are scheduled to fly back and forth six times a day.

The top 10 routes also include flights to the Turkish capital operated by Aeroflot and budget carrier Pegasus Airlines.

Istanbul is closely followed by Dubai, which also has more than 100,000 seats scheduled on flights out of Moscow this month.

While Emirates offers half as many flights as Turkish Airlines between its hub and Moscow, the Dubai-based carrier uses the far bigger Airbus A380.

Qatar Airways also operates one flight a day, equal to nearly 11,000 seats this month.

These airlines operate hub-and-spoke models — taking advantage of their geography as a stopover point to link cities around the world. They would be the main options for Russians to fly to the US, or vice-versa.

Two of Aeroflot's highest-capacity international routes are to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand — both popular tourist destinations.

Tens of thousands of seats are also scheduled from Moscow to Egyptian Red Sea resorts of Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada this month.

Many flights also operate to the capitals of former Soviet republics, such as Yerevan, Armenia; Tashkent, Uzbekistan; and Baku, Azerbaijan.

Minsk and Beijing also feature in the top 10 cities by number of seats scheduled for this month.

• Tim Clark helped set up Emirates in 1985 and has been its president since 2003.
• The airline flies from Dubai to 12 US airports as well as dozens of cities globally.
• Clark says if a business "recognizes and respects" its workers, "they look after you" in return.

Dubai's population has grown about 10-fold since Emirates was founded 40 years ago. Among the airline's founding team was Tim Clark, who has been its president for more than two decades.

At the beginning, the nascent carrier wasn't "taken very seriously," he told Business Insider in a wide-ranging interview last month.

That began to change once competitors and aircraft manufacturers realized Dubai was ideally positioned roughly halfway between Europe and the Middle East — and that Emirates was determined to shake up long-haul aviation.

"We were considered to be lunatics, but we did manage to persuade the powers that be in both Airbus and Boeing that we were deadly serious," Clark says.

As well as aircraft that could fly non-stop from Dubai to the likes of Los Angeles, Sydney and Auckland, he wanted cabins that were closer to private jets.

That led to innovations such as first-class suites with sliding doors in the late 1990s that are now "de rigueur everywhere. And I wish I had a patent on those, but we never did. And now they're in business class as well. So you see our footprints everywhere."

The rise of Emirates as a global aviation force mirrors the rise of Dubai, which Clark calls a "global metropolis." It's become "a great place for doing business" as well as serving the rest of the Middle East and North Africa region, particularly Saudi Arabia.

Its 96 flights a week from 12 US airports to Dubai has also made it easier for Americans to get to destinations such as Zanzibar, Mauritius or the Seychelles. Clark thinks there's a lot more growth to come in North America: "We have only really just started. We now have multiple points there, but there are so many more coming."

Emirates' expansion has been constrained to some degree by the availability of new aircraft. Delivery delays for Boeing's new 777X has prompted the airline to spend $4.5 billion "gutting all the old 777s and retrofitting them," Clark says. To maintain its fleet of about 250 passenger jets "you've got to retrofit," he adds.

It's also upgrading many of its A380s, which it first took delivery of in 2008. Later to the premium economy party than other airlines, it only made its Emirates debut in August 2022.

Business class, however, has always accounted for a considerable part of the double-decker Airbus — even if Clark dislikes the name.

When corporate travel budgets were slashed after the 2008 financial crisis, he says older customers in particular started flying in business "in a manner that we just couldn't believe."

People "want to go and see and enjoy … that's why I remain optimistic that demand will continue at the pace it has, constrained by all these we've talked about in regards to supply."

Emirates consistently ranks as one of the world's best airlines, though last year, rival Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways was crowned the world's best airline by Skytrax. Qatar pushed Singapore Airlines into second place, while Emirates ranked third.

One of Emirates' advantages over most competitors is being able to recruit its 23,000 cabin crew from anywhere in the world. "That is part of the essence of our model," as Clark puts it.

He describes Dubai as a "really popular city to be in" for many workers — and doubtless the tax-free salaries, generous bonuses and accommodation offer are part of the attraction for some too.

While its training program is "very, very demanding" and being "refreshed all the time," Clark adds: "We try to think that by delivering a fairly innovative stack of products, which we try to change out regularly, that the kids are actually really interested in what they're doing. And they like what they're doing," he says. "We look after them. We care for their welfare."

Asked about where Boeing lost its way, his advice to CEO Kelly Ortberg is to treat workers better. Clark said that if a company "recognizes and respects" its people, "they look after you. I promise you, they'll be doing much more than you asked them to do, simply because they're so proud of being in a company that looks after them."

Clark has been in the airline business for more than half a century, starting off at British Caledonian in 1972 before moving to Gulf Air in Bahrain for a decade. So why is he still working at the age of 75?

He says he considered stepping down during the pandemic but adds: "I just couldn't leave it. I was determined to get the business back on track and be profitable again, and eventually hand it over to the team of people I'm working with. These guys I've been working with 20 years, some of them.

"Frankly, will the business be successful with this team of people working? Of course it will … so I'll find a balance at some point, but I will go."

The airline posted a pre-tax profit of $2.6 billion for the six months to September, up 2%, on revenues of almost $17 billion, and Clark expects "another very good year" in 2025 but notes: "Anything can happen. Well, airlines are an unpredictable business, aren't they?"

• I paid to sleep in a private pod during a layover at Dubai International Airport.
• The pod was comfortable enough, and I ended up sleeping for a few hours.
• Next time, I'd just get a nearby hotel for not much more money and fly in earlier.

I don't sleep on planes — not even in a cushy lie-flat seat in business class.

So, during my long journey from Chicago to the Maldives, I was most worried about how exhausted I'd be during my seven-hour layover in Dubai.

After those seven hours, I'd still have to board a five-hour flight to Male in the Maldives, chill out in that airport for several more hours, then hop a seaplane to the resort. This was adding up to 30-some hours of travel.

I realized the only way I'd make it through this journey was if I had some way to get a good night's sleep.

Since I was traveling solo, I didn't want to try to nap in Dubai International Airport without anyone to watch my luggage for seven hours in the middle of the night.

While searching online for hotels in or near the airport, I realized I could rent a sleeping pod.

It had the potential to be the hero of my layover: I could sleep without worrying about my belongings, and I wouldn't have to leave the airport.

I was skeptical about the size of the pod, but I did get some sleep

A few days before my flight, I went online and paid $123 to reserve a pod in the airport's "sleep 'n fly" area for five hours.

After my plane landed, it took me about 20 minutes to walk from my arrival gate to the sleep 'n fly. Fortunately, it was just a 10-minute walk from the departure gate for my next flight.

Checking in was easy and took only about three minutes. Once the attendant found my pre-paid reservation, she led me down a short hallway to my pod.

When they slid open the door to my pod, my heart stopped. It looked very small.

I'm not claustrophobic — and I'm only 5-foot-3 — but I worried that turning over or relaxing in that tiny compartment was going to be difficult.

After all, I'm a side sleeper who likes to stretch out.

Luckily, I was able to fully stretch out my legs on the reclined bed.

The bed's angled back kind of reminded me of a La-Z-Boy recliner. The cushions weren't quite as thick as a mattress but felt close in terms of comfort.

Though it didn't feel quite like a bed, the pod felt better than economy seats on an airplane or rows of seats in an airport boarding area.

I also appreciated that the pod had smart storage areas that allowed me to take my belongings in with me instead of leaving them unattended or in a locker.

The pod and the area around it were also nice and quiet. Staff spoke in low voices and, with the exception of one group noisily settling in, I wasn't disturbed by sounds or conversations.

I ended up spending just under five hours in the pod and getting about 2 ½ hours of sleep.

Next time, I'd plan for a longer layover and pay a little more for a hotel

I wouldn't choose this nap pod again, but I don't regret doing so for such a short layover.

My seven-hour layover felt even shorter than I expected — especially once I factored in how long it would take me to get off the plane, walk to and from my gates, use the restroom, and grab an overpriced airport breakfast (a $4 banana and an $8 muffin).

Though I did get some sleep, I'd prefer to get a full night's rest in a bed and maybe even do some sightseeing in this new-to-me country.

So, next time I transit through Dubai, I plan to fly in a day early and book a night at a hotel near the airport.

Looking back, it would've cost me only about $153 ($30 more) to stay one night at an Element hotel less than a mile from the airport. Even better, the hotel stay comes with access to an outdoor pool, plus a complimentary airport shuttle and continental breakfast. (I wouldn't have had to spend $12 extra on breakfast at the airport!)

Though the sleep pod worked in a pinch, a hotel stay would mean I could arrive at my final destination more fully rested and ready to start my vacation.

• Elon Musk's tunneling firm has announced plans to build a 10.5-mile tunnel network in Dubai.
• The Boring Company has already built a "loop" in Las Vegas, which ferries people through tunnels in Teslas.
• Boring's loops are still a long way from the futuristic "hyperloop" proposed by Musk in 2013.

Elon Musk's Boring Company wants to set up its Tesla-carrying tunnel network in Dubai.

The tunneling company announced on Thursday it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Dubai's roads and transport authority to build a 10.5-mile tunnel system in the Gulf city-state.

The initial pilot project will have 11 stations and transport around 20,000 passengers an hour, the Boring Company said, with plans to eventually expand the transit system to carry 100,000 passengers an hour.

The company called it "a landmark collaboration poised to set the standard for urban mobility."

The company didn't give a timeline for the Dubai project, which would be the Boring Company's second location.

Musk's tunneling firm's only operational loop is under the Las Vegas Convention Center, where passengers are transported through around 1.8 miles of tunnels in Tesla vehicles at speeds of around 40 miles per hour.

The Boring Company's Las Vegas loop — and its planned loop in Dubai — are a long way from the science-fiction "hyperloop" concept Elon Musk sketched out in a 2013 white paper.

The billionaire proposed a system of low-pressure tubes that would transport commuters in pods at speeds as high as 760 miles per hour.

The Boring Company was founded in 2017; partly to bring the "hyperloop" concept to life. Musk said he founded the company after being driven "nuts" by LA traffic.

The company is expanding its Vegas Loop into a 68-mile tunnel network though this has run into obstacles. The city's monorail was temporarily shut down last year after Boring Company employees reportedly dug close to pillars holding it up.

The Boring Company is led by Steve Davis, one of Musk's closest associates.

He is involved with DOGE, the new department Musk is leading to drive spending cuts in the US federal government, per a list of staff working there, that Business Insider obtained.

• Elon Musk wore a T-shirt with the words "tech support" during a speech to business leaders in Dubai.
• Musk previously referred to himself as "White House Tech Support" in his X bio.
• Musk heads up DOGE, which has led the Trump White House's efforts to cut federal spending.

Elon Musk wore a black T-shirt with the words "tech support" across its middle during his latest address to global business leaders.

The T-shirt was likely a nod to Musk's previous bio on X, where he described himself as "White House Tech Support."

Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was speaking at Dubai's annual World Governments Summit on Thursday via a video link.

DOGE has been instrumental in President Donald Trump's efforts to cut government spending.

During his address, Musk said the US needs to get rid of entire federal agencies.

"I think we do need to delete entire agencies, as opposed to leave part of them behind," he said.

"It's kind of like leaving a weed," Musk added. "If you don't remove the roots of the weed, then it's easy for the weed to grow back."

Musk's speech came amid concern from lawmakers and watchdog organizations about DOGE's access to Treasury systems containing sensitive information about millions of Americans.

Musk showed little sign of wanting to slow down.

He told the audience that reducing government spending would have a "remarkable" effect.

"If the deficit drops from two trillion to one trillion, then there will be one trillion less debt, and, of course, the interest rates will drop significantly, and that means people's mortgage payments, car payments, credit card payments, student loans — whatever debt they have — their debt will be less," he said.

Musk, who founded SpaceX and owns social media platform X, said the US could be thought of as a "big company," comparing it to Twitter, which he renamed X after buying it for $44 billion in 2022.

"In Twitter's case, we reduced the staff by 80% but at the same time improved the functionality and the capabilities of the site dramatically," he said.

Regarding the US, Musk said: "It's like a corporate turnaround but at a much larger scale."

• A Spotify layoff in December 2023 affected 17% of employees, including Sophia Omarji, a UX researcher.
• Omarji faced visa issues and a competitive job market before being forced to leave for Dubai.
• Still looking for her next role a year later, she's focused on skill development and networking.

In January 2023, I moved from the UK to Sweden for my dream job at Spotify. I'd been at the company since July 2022, when I joined as a user experience research intern, and secured a full-time associate role and later a promotion.

As a music psychology graduate, joining Spotify was a dream come true. I never expected to reach that point in my career fresh out of college — I assumed it would take years.

At the end of 2023, I was among the 17% affected by layoffs at the company I'd dreamed of joining. Since then, I've processed the reality of being laid off and navigated the emotional and professional challenges that come with it.

The year since has been anything but straightforward, from grappling with visa issues to navigating Sweden's competitive job market. It has also been a time of profound learning and unexpected growth.

On Monday, December 4, 2023, I received the email that changed everything

I woke up and rolled over to see two emails from work. One was sent to the whole company from Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, and another was sent from HR — an invite for a 15-minute individual meeting to discuss my role. Having been present for another round of layoffs earlier that year, I knew that I was about to be let go.

Every day at work had felt surreal and confirmed I was living out my aspirations. I loved the culture, people, and projects — the role excited me and built my passion further. I'd envisioned a long career at the company.

In the call, they told me my role was being made redundant, and they couldn't find me another position because of the scale of the reduction. I was given a three-month notice period but wasn't required to work from then on.

I felt a mix of disbelief, frustration, and pure heartbreak

It wasn't just about the job loss but the upheaval of everything I'd planned for the coming years. The uncertainty was further amplified by my work visa situation, being in Sweden as a British citizen, forcing me to navigate emotional turmoil and the post-Brexit bureaucratic maze.

With a ticking clock and no clear path forward, I felt paralyzed. I quickly realized that the emotional aftermath of losing a job was more complex than I'd anticipated.

I had to give myself the space to experience the stages of grief, mourning the loss of my sense of identity and future certainty alongside the feelings of rejection that accompanied it. Over time, I began to appreciate the value of giving myself time to adjust rather than rushing to fill the void.

I've learned how to embrace the discomfort of not having everything figured out immediately

It's easy to feel as if you're falling behind when you have no clear direction or routine, but I soon realized that growth often arises in moments of uncertainty.

I decided to focus on what I could still control. I leaned into the skills I'd developed at Spotify, such as data analysis, storytelling, and working with different stakeholders, and explored new avenues for applying them.

I couldn't find part-time work in Sweden because my work visa was revoked, leaving me in a sticky situation. Over the past year, I've focused on networking, attending conferences, and expanding my skill set through courses.

I've also honed my background in music psychology, searching for opportunities to share that expertise through workshops, speaking engagements, my blog, and my podcast.

Early-career professionals in the current job market face unique challenges

The pressure to progress quickly, build experience, and establish ourselves can feel overwhelming, especially in industries such as tech, where expertise is highly valued.

I've learned being junior doesn't mean being less capable — it's an opportunity to build a foundation of skills and knowledge that will support long-term growth. Young people bring fresh perspectives, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, and adaptability isn't just about adjusting to changes within your current role or industry — it's about being open to geographical and professional shifts that push you out of your comfort zone.

After my layoff, I could stay in Sweden for six months before ultimately having no choice but to leave Stockholm. I relocated to Dubai to be with my family.

The transition was difficult — I had to leave behind my partner, friends, and the life I had built. Adjusting to a long-distance relationship added another layer of complexity, but I learned that a new location doesn't have to limit opportunities.

I now see myself as a citizen of the world

I'm navigating life on the move and juggling pursuing my next job with quality time spent with family and friends, exploring new places, and focusing on personal and professional projects. My ultimate goal is to return to Sweden — or wherever the best opportunity takes me — so my partner and I can reunite and build the best life possible.

My goal for the year ahead is to find professional success. I'm open to similar roles and new directions if they align with my values. Whether it's in music psychology, UX research, or the broader tech industry, my focus is on meaningful and impactful work. As the world evolves, so will my career.

Do you want to share how your layoff affected you? Email Lauryn Haas at [email protected].

• I took my kids to Dubai, and our first trip to the city was amazing.
• However, I should've budgeted more time and money because we didn't get to do everything.
• I also wish we'd spent more time in the desert and had a little more downtime.

Dubai boasts the tallest building, the biggest mall, and the water park with the most water slides in the world. Despite these claims to fame, I still considered it a stopover city, not a full vacation destination.

When I booked my family's flights to India, which included a stop in Abu Dhabi (less than an hour from Dubai), I decided to extend the layover so we could explore for three days.

My kids and I had a great time, but now that we've seen all the city has to offer, I wish I'd done some things differently.

I should've booked a longer trip.

Once I started looking into how to spend our time in Dubai, I realized that the three days I planned were not nearly enough.

If I had to plan the trip over again, I'd schedule at least four or five days in Dubai.

Even though I am not a big shopper, I surprisingly wish I had more time to explore the Dubai Mall. In particular, I wanted to try the indoor skating rink and ski slopes and explore more of the impressive indoor Chinatown.

I also should've planned further in advance.

Since this was just a stop on the way to our larger vacation, I didn't do much advanced planning.

Unfortunately, that meant we weren't able to do everything we had originally hoped.

I discovered too late that tickets to Dubai's Museum of the Future, which I'd wanted to visit, sell out months in advance.

We definitely needed more downtime throughout the trip.

Since our time was limited, I felt pressure to be constantly on the go. Nevertheless, I wish I'd squeezed in a couple of hours of downtime to relax.

That also probably would've helped us acclimate to the time difference from the East Coast.

I carefully selected a beautiful hotel, Andaz Dubai The Palm, that's right on the beach and has a gorgeous infinity pool. However, it would've been nicer if we'd had a little more time to actually enjoy its relaxing amenities.

The city was even more expensive than I'd budgeted for.

I knew Dubai was expensive, but I didn't realize how pricey it was until I started looking into activities.

I originally planned on taking my kids to the top of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa, and visiting its observatory. However, once I saw the price of the tickets, I abandoned the idea.

I couldn't imagine shelling out nearly $200 for the three of us to have what would probably be an hourlong experience.

Even though we skipped it, my kids and I posed for plenty of photos in front of the Burj Khalifa and appreciated its height from afar.

Other activities were more expensive than I expected as well, including the Dubai Mall Aquarium. Tickets started at about $50 a person.

I didn't realize how far apart some of our must-visit stops would be.

The Burj Kalifa is right next to the Dubai Mall, but the city's famous mosque, markets, Global Village shopping area, and local cultural center are all fairly spread out.

The distances between sites made getting around time-consuming and expensive. I wish I'd paid more attention before booking activities to make better use of my time and cut down on transportation costs.

For example, since we visited the Dubai Mall during the day, we weren't able to see its spectacular evening fountain show. I thought we'd be able to dash over one night, but we always found ourselves too far to make the trip worthwhile.

We didn't spend nearly enough time in the desert.

Some of my favorite travel experiences have involved being in the desert, so a desert safari was at the top of my list for our Dubai trip.

I booked the least expensive option with the luxury tour company Platinum Heritage.

Although I enjoyed everything I did in Dubai, this was the most fun and unique. My family spent a fantastic evening climbing sand dunes, spotting wildlife, getting henna tattoos, riding camels, enjoying a traditional Arabian feast, stargazing, and more.

When it was over, I wished I'd booked more time in the desert — or at least had us spend the night.

• Luke Smith started drinking more after he moved from the UK to Dubai for a job in luxury real estate.
• Alcohol made him "hazy" at work, and his personal trainer advised him to give it up.
• His health, social life, and performance at work have improved since he gave up drinking last year.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Luke Smith, a 27-year-old commercial manager for a real estate firm in Dubai. It has been edited for length and clarity.

In March 2020, I moved from the UK to Dubai to take a real estate job. Now, almost five years later, I'm making multimillion-dollar deals and have given up alcohol — a change I never would have imagined making if I'd stayed in the UK.

In the UK, I would often binge drink on weekends, but I didn't have a problem and I never woke up the next day with regrets. It's just ingrained in UK culture.

In the first 12 months of being in Dubai, I would drink here and there, but I was very, very disciplined. My role was commission only with no salary, so I had to make sure I didn't spend all my savings.

But by February 2021, I had my roots planted and was starting to see some success. That's when my drinking picked up quite dramatically.

I started drinking more after I settled in Dubai

There's a tight-knit British community in Dubai who have carried over the UK's drinking culture.

There was also a lot of drinking at work events, especially if things were going well. On Fridays, I'd go for a business lunch and drinks with colleagues or somebody who I'd closed a deal with. And when the job got stressful, I'd let off some steam by going for drinks with colleagues.

I also started drinking more outside of work hours. Whereas in the UK you might go to a club on a Saturday night, the British social scene here is centered on bottomless brunches and afternoon drinks by the pool. So, as I made friends, a lot of the plans involved alcohol.

All that alcohol definitely made me feel foggy — but most of my colleagues were doing the same. Everyone would come in on a Monday a bit hazy, talking about how wild the weekend was.

By November 2023, I had noticed that my decision-making was getting worse when I was drinking. I did and said things I wouldn't have ordinarily. I didn't like the fact that I'd started feeling out of control.

I drink less for my health and well-being

People often assume that I stopped drinking because I had an alcohol problem. But while I wasn't happy with my decision-making, it was by no means a problem. Stopping was just a personal decision to benefit my health and well-being.

I got a personal trainer in December 2023 because I wanted to improve my fitness. He said he wasn't interested in having me as a client if I continued drinking like I was because I wouldn't get any of the benefits.

Plus, I had been getting closer and closer to a friend who didn't drink. As I spent more time with him, I did more activities that didn't involve drinking and I was introduced to a different lifestyle. We would go to the gym or the sauna, or just enjoy what Dubai had to offer.

Then, in January 2024, I did Dry January. I realized I didn't miss alcohol at all, so I didn't drink until February.

I didn't set out to stop drinking, but I realized it wasn't worth restarting because it was benefiting my so much. I had so much more energy, mental clarity, and focus. That might have been from a change in diet and exercise, but giving up alcohol also improved my lifestyle, too.

I started playing golf more regularly, got into padel, and started running. I was just trying to find different hobbies to fill the gap left by alcohol, but going sober put me in more appropriate circles for what my deeper interests actually are.

Ultimately, I'm in Dubai to make a difference for my family and my future self, and I want to focus on that. Drinking alcohol at the weekends just doesn't feed into that goal.

If I hadn't moved to Dubai, I don't think it would have been possible to change my lifestyle in the positive way that I have.

I still go to work events — I just have 0% beer

Now, I pick and choose when I actually want to drink.

I still go to all my work events and participate — I just drink tonic water or a 0% beer and leave earlier than I would when I drank.

When I'm on holiday or have some downtime, I quite happily have alcohol.

I went back to the UK last month and drank most days, because that's what the culture is — especially over Christmas. I really enjoyed it because I knew it was only going to be for a short time, and it was something I hadn't done in a while. By the end, I was very much done.

You can be labeled boring if you're not going for drinks on a Friday. But at this point, because of my hobbies and the people I surround myself with, it doesn't affect me. I have other ways to enjoy my life.

• The biggest US-based multimanagers like Citadel and Point72 still have their investors in longtime locales.
• London and Hong Kong, regulatory filings show, have hundreds of people, while Dubai and Singapore trail.
• London, in particular, is still a massive hub for US-based managers, data show.

London is far from dead in the hedge fund industry, despite many predictions about its soon-to-come demise.

Following the Labour Party's electoral victory this past summer and the Brexit vote in 2016, there's been chatter that London is losing its standing as a global financial hub. Other cities in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia have all been vying to pry off a piece of the city's business.

But regulatory filings for some of the biggest US-based multimanagers, including Citadel, Point72, and Balyasny, show that offices in Mayfair and elsewhere in London were packed with hundreds of investors for these funds, at least as of March of last year. Their numbers in the English capital far outweigh, for now, that of offices in locales trying to lure investors away with lower taxes and warmer weather, including Dubai.

Filings for Citadel, Point72, Balyasny, Schonfeld, Verition, Walleye, and Hudson Bay show that London has more than half its international investing talent. Millennium and ExodusPoint, two other large, US-based multimanagers, do not list their international offices on their regulatory filings and are not included in the graphic.

A person close to Millennium points out the firm has a large international presence, and the $72 billion manager's website notes it operates from more than 140 different places around the world, a majority of which have investment staff. The firm has 18 locations that are deemed "primary offices," and 12 are located outside the US, including London, Paris, Dubai, and Hong Kong.

ExodusPoint declined to comment, but its website states that it has offices in London, Dubai, Jersey, Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong. (The story continues below the graphic.)

Following the UK's official exit from the European Union in 2020, many predicted cities like Paris would become more formidable financial hubs. However, investing talent in European cities, including the French capital, Copenhagen, and Milan, is dwarfed by outposts in the UK. Dubai has not yet made a significant dent in London's head count.

Similarly, in Asia, Singapore was expected to take some of Hong Kong's business, as increased geopolitical tensions between the region and China worried US-based managers, but that has not yet been the reality on the ground.

Of the seven firms that disclosed their international offices, only Verition has more investing talent based in Singapore than Hong Kong. Verition, its December 2024 filing shows, has 13 people who "perform investment advisory functions" in Singapore and no Hong Kong office at all.

Point72, meanwhile, has more than double the number of investors in Hong Kong — 92 — than it does in Singapore, as well as significant footprints in Tokyo, Taipei, and Sydney.

Still, Dubai and Singapore are growing.

In Asia, for example, Bobby Jain's new firm, Jain Global — which wasn't included in this data review because it listed only its New York headquarters in its first regulatory filing in September — chose Singapore as its first Asia hub, tapping former Morgan Stanley executive Sam Kellie-Smith to lead the office.

Hudson Bay, meanwhile, states on its website that it has a Dubai outpost, though it did not list the office in its regulatory filings. The firm did not respond to a request for comment as to why. Walleye's only international office outside Europe is in Dubai.

Recruiters and fund executives say eastward movement from London is driven by two things: talent and capital. Senior PMs who want to sit in the Middle East — for tax purposes or other reasons — can demand it given the tight talent market and high demand for money-making investors, and funds that set up in the region often hope to tap into the massive pools of sovereign wealth capital in the region.

"There is a certain element of Dubai being new and shiny," said James Barfield, buy-side client director for recruiting firm Selby Jennings, "but that doesn't mean a hedge fund is going uproot from New York and London and move their entire operations there."

"I don't see New York or London ever really losing their status," he said.

• The UAE ranks second in the world for average hours worked a week.
• Employees there work an average 51 hours a week, far beyond the US average of 38.
• Expats in Dubai, the UAE commercial hub, told BI their work is intense but richly rewarded.

"I've been on a treadmill before on my work phone, doing barrier options," said Nick Fowler, 33, a British man who moved to the United Arab Emirates two years ago. "It can get a bit ridiculous sometimes."

(Barrier options are a financial product common in asset management, Fowler's industry.)

He is one of the millions of foreigners drawn to Dubai by its year-round sunshine, tax-free income, and its abundant luxury.

But it comes with a catch: they end up working more than nearly anyone else in the world.

The UAE ranks second globally for the highest average weekly working hours per employed person, according to the International Labour Organization.

Employees in the UAE work an average of 50.9 hours a week, far exceeding the 38-hour average in the US and the 35.9-hour average in Fowler's native UK.

The top spot goes to the reclusive Himalayan nation of Bhutan, with 54.4 hours.

Fowler told Business Insider that his typical workday starts around 8 a.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m., often without a proper break as he eats lunch at his desk. His day rarely ends there.

"I've been on dates before [where] I've had to send emails," he said, "and colleagues have rung me when I've sat down to eat dinner."

Luxury, but at a cost

Patrick James, 32, also from the UK, moved to Dubai six years ago.

He had been there on vacation before and was largely unimpressed, but was still drawn to the city by its financial opportunities.

He told BI he was offered a salary twice what he earned as a teacher in London.

While his teaching job in London often ran from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., a recent teaching role in Dubai had him working 12 to 14 hours a day.

Across a five-day week with a shorter Friday, that puts him around 50 hours a week, close to the UAE norm.

"My child is two now," he said. "I wasn't seeing him. He'd wake up, I'd leave at home, and he'd be asleep, and I'd get home, and he'd be asleep."

For a short while, James could justify the sacrifice. "You're working, you're grinding, you're saving your money, and then you get to go on these luxurious holidays," he said.

Eventually, it became too much. Last March, he switched to a remote role with a Japanese health and wellness company, giving him the flexibility to set his own hours while still in Dubai.

James said that he believes that so many expats in Dubai just accept the long hours because of the competitiveness of its job market.

"If you are not good at your job, they'll get rid of you and get someone else," he said.

A highly competitive market

"It is commonly known that in the expatriate market in the UAE, supply is higher than demand," Fiona Robson, a professor of human resources management at Heriot-Watt University, Dubai, told BI.

"This can lead to less power for expatriates if they can be replaced easily, particularly if specialist skills are not needed at the point of recruitment," she added.

For some, the pressure to perform can feel overwhelming. Eigher Noceda, a Filipina who spent seven years in Dubai working in sales, felt an unspoken expectation to exceed her contractual hours.

"They will not say no if you like to overwork," she said. "If you want to stay after six, it's up to you. If you work on Saturday, they'll not tell you, 'Oh, why are you here? You should go home.'"

Eventually, Noceda realized that Dubai's work culture wasn't for her.

"If you always like to work and you always have the energy to network and really work your ass off, this is the place for you," she said.

But for Noceda, having a work-life balance was more important, so she moved to Italy, where she said she found a work culture that suited her better.

A 'high-context culture'

Rizwan Tahir, professor of International Business at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai, attributes the UAE's intense work culture, in part, to its "high-context culture," which relies on implicit understandings and unspoken expectations.

Unlike "low-context cultures" in Western countries like Italy — where employees typically adhere strictly to contracts — Tahir said employers in high-context cultures may expect longer hours, additional responsibilities, and availability outside regular work hours, even if not explicitly outlined in contracts.

Tahir highlighted that this dynamic is particularly prevalent in the UAE's private sector, where expatriates form the majority.

"The expectation of long working hours is often deeply ingrained, with many expatriates feeling pressure to demonstrate commitment and loyalty through their availability," he said.

Tahir said: "This cultural difference can lead to misunderstandings, increased stress, and significant challenges in maintaining a healthy work-life balance for expatriates."

Despite the challenges, for some, the trade-offs are still worth it.

Fowler, the British expat in finance, feels the rewards outweigh the sacrifices.

Thanks to his work in Dubai, he has been able to afford a sports car, live alone, and travel extensively.

He said: "I have a much better life here than I had in London by a long way."

• Alessandro Palombo has lived in Dubai and he's launched two businesses in Singapore.
• He said people in Dubai often display their wealth, while Singapore has billionaires in flip-flops.
• The lifestyle in Dubai can be transient, meanwhile, Singapore can feel small, he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Alessandro Palombo, 36, an entrepreneur based in Lisbon, about doing business in Dubai and Singapore. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I lived in Dubai for around four years, and I have two businesses in Singapore.

I started my career in the legal field but pivoted into startups. I currently live in Lisbon and focus on running a fund advisor for a Golden Visa fund helping non-Europeans gain residency and citizenship in Portugal.

I first moved to Dubai in 2019. I used the city as my headquarters and often traveled from there for work and my startups. I had team members in Asia, so there was good connectivity from Dubai to them. I also frequently visited Singapore for business trips.

I launched two businesses, including a fund advisor, in Singapore in 2024. I travel frequently to manage both companies and plan to spend at least a quarter of my time there moving forward.

Having experienced life in both Dubai and Singapore, here is a comparison of what I think of both locations. Overall, I think they are both great places for doing business. Dubai is better suited for doing business with Europe or the US, and Singapore is a great place if you're doing business in Asia.

Displays of luxury are more understated in Singapore than in Dubai

People in Dubai often display their wealth, while in Singapore, there were billionaires in flip-flops — it's more understated.

In Dubai, you can get lost among hundreds of luxury shops at the Dubai Mall. It shows you the best of every luxury brand in one place.

While luxury is embedded into a holiday experience in Dubai, it isn't at the center of your experience when you live there. When visiting for a week, you're typically taken to high-end attractions and restaurants, but living in Dubai reveals its more grounded side. You can dine in more authentic Lebanese restaurants for 25 euros, around the same in dollars a head.

Meanwhile, in Singapore, I've personally met more wealthy and powerful people than I did in Dubai. This could be due to coincidences around my network, but I have a feeling it attracts more people who have already made it as opposed to people who are trying to make it. I've met several wealthy people who were dressed in ordinary clothes but had significant assets, including luxury cars.

In Dubai, business meetings often happen in lavish offices, but in Singapore, I've seen more personal touches, like a CEO's private room with an extraordinary cigar collection and premium liquor — items that reflect wealth but aren't immediately visible.

Consider where your clients are based when deciding which city is best for your business

I think both locations are great for digital nomads and entrepreneurs.

In Dubai, the killer value proposition is 0% personal income tax. It's one of the very rare places in the world where your earnings, capital gains, and dividends are not taxed. It's a major advantage for people who have wealth to preserve and for digital nomads. However, there is a 5% VAT.

If you're doing business with Europe or the US, Dubai would be a better fit because of the time zone.

Meanwhile, Singapore offers an unmatched ease of doing business in Asia without the language barriers present in countries like China, where Mandarin is essential. However, if you have clients in Europe, the time difference can make things difficult.

In Singapore, personal income tax is reasonable, and there are thoughtful tax exemptions for startups. Plus, there is no capital gains tax or foreign-source income tax. Singapore is such an efficient city. Compared to Dubai, it's faster to open a bank account. The tax guidelines are clear, and they enable you to do business easily.

That said, there are challenges around entrepreneurship in both locations. In Dubai, pathways for securing a visa can involve establishing a company or obtaining a freelance license. While feasible, it's more complex than it appears, and it's often useful to have assistance from trusted local partners. In Singapore, incorporation is straightforward, but obtaining the required Employment Pass involves additional steps.

There are some potential downsides to life in both cities.

In Dubai, I think the lifestyle can be quite transient. There's a large expat population, and since many people see their time there as temporary, it can limit deep connections.

I'd avoid the hottest summer months in Dubai. If you open your door in July, it's like a huge hairdryer blowing hot air on you. Meanwhile, in Singapore, it's hot and humid all year round. In both places, expect to be spending a lot of time in buildings with air conditioning.

Both cities can be expensive, but I think Singapore is more expensive, particularly the cost of cars and real estate.

Singapore is also a very small city. In Lisbon, where I live now, I can drive to many beautiful places in my car like beaches and hiking spaces, but in Singapore, you don't have to drive for long before you've left Singapore and are entering Malaysia. In the medium to long term, you may feel the smallness of the space. I haven't lived in Singapore, but when I visit, I often end up in the same four or five streets.

Overall, Singapore and Dubai are great examples of international hubs, and I really like both cities.

Do you want to share a review of cities you've lived in for work and business purposes? Email [email protected]

• A man from Northern Ireland looks set to spend Christmas in the UAE following his arrest.
• Authorities in Abu Dhabi arrested Craig Ballentine after he posted a negative Google review about his former UAE employer.
• Ballentine's family said the situation is "a living nightmare."

A man from Northern Ireland who was arrested after posting a negative review about his former employer in Dubai looks set to spend Christmas in the United Arab Emirates.

Craig Ballentine was arrested in Abu Dhabi's airport in October over a negative Google review he posted about his former workplace — a dog grooming salon in Dubai, according to Radha Stirling, an advocate who helps foreigners navigate legal trouble in the UAE.

Ballentine spent about six months working at the salon in 2023. He said he needed time off due to illness and presented his employer with medical certificates as proof of his condition.

But the employer reported him as "absconded" with UAE authorities after he missed work, and he was hit with a travel ban.

After getting the ban lifted, Ballentine returned to Northern Ireland, where he wrote a Google review detailing the issues with his former employer.

He was arrested after returning to the UAE for a holiday and now faces charges of slander.

Ballentine, who said he had paid a fine and was given a one-month social media ban, had hoped to get his travel ban lifted and return to Northern Ireland ahead of Christmas.

But he told the BBC that while on the way to a police station to get the ban lifted, he was told authorities wanted to appeal his case and had set a court date for February.

"While I was in the middle of the transit going there, I got the email that the court was not happy and they wanted to appeal again," he said. "I called friends and family and couldn't stop crying, because you're holding on to those emotions, you're just trying to focus on 'let's get out of here.'"

A GoFundMe set up by Ballentine's family has raised nearly $2,500 to help with his legal fees.

"What started out as a holiday to catch up with friends for Craig has turned out to be a living nightmare," the family says on the page.

"At present legal fees are crippling and any money raised will go to help clearing these costs," they added.

Ballentine has also appealed to politicians to support his case with the help of Radha Stirling, a representative from the campaign group "Detained in Dubai."

"The amount of support Craig has is quite incredible," Stirling said. "Charging someone for an online review is something everyone can imagine happening to them. We've received an influx of worried tourists contacting us to check their police status in Dubai and it's certainly a good idea."

Stirling has helped several tourists held up in the country on exaggerated charges and forced to pay costly fees as a resolution. She previously told Business Insider that it's relatively easy to file a complaint that can prevent someone from leaving the country.

"There's been a lot of cases in the past where people have been accused of road rage or flipping the middle finger and that kind of thing, even when they haven't," Stirling previously told BI. "Then someone goes down to the police station, and whatever they say is automatically believed. They don't need evidence."

In one case Stirling worked on, a female college student lightly nudged an airport security officer during a security screening search. They accused her of assault, and she was unable to leave the nation for months.

In another case, a woman was detained after she was accused of screaming, which her accusers said violated a vague law criminalizing "offensive behavior" like rudeness or swearing. She paid $1,000 to have the travel ban that prevented her from leaving lifted, though her accusers initially demanded $10,000.

"It's actually culturally widespread, and the police haven't done anything to clamp down on that sort of extortion," Stirling previously told BI.

• In May 2023, Jennifer Kusch relocated to Dubai for a job opportunity.
• Her teen sons were initially against the move and said she was "ruining" their lives.
• But she says the experience of living abroad has brought them closer together.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Kusch, 47, who works in talent acquisition. Kusch moved from Idaho to Dubai with her kids in 2023. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Early last year, my company approached me about a job opportunity in Dubai.

At first, I said no. I had just bought a house in Idaho, where I was raising three kids. As a single mom, moving to the Middle East sounded hard, so I declined. But my boss at the time encouraged me to apply, and I thought, "Fine, why not?"

I got the job and was set to start in 30 days. My daughter was 18 then, and my sons were 15 and 13. When they came home from school, I read them the book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss and then said, "Guys, we're moving to Dubai."

My daughter was about to graduate from high school but was excited about an adventure. My 15-year-old, on the other hand, said, "You're ruining my life. My people are here. This is where I belong." And my 13-year-old echoed his brother.

The job commitment was for two years. I said, "We're going to go for two years. We're going to see what happens."

I remember crying in my bedroom after thinking, "Oh my gosh, I'm doing this selfishly. I want to do this for my career. Am I ruining my kids' lives?"

But then I thought about how many other teenagers must have said the same thing to their parents.

And so I had another discussion with my children a week later and said, "I hope that you can look at this as an adventure."

It was a big move for all of us

I had traveled outside the US but never lived abroad or been to Dubai. I traveled to the city alone last April while my kids were finishing the academic year.

When I arrived in Dubai, I tested out the public transportation so I could teach my kids how to ride the bus, hop on the metro, or take a taxi.

I found a townhouse-style villa away from downtown Dubai and spent six weeks furnishing the place so that all the kids would have to do was unpack their suitcases. My company provided an allowance to "settle in." While it didn't cover rent, it helped me set up a home for my family. They also covered the flights and most of my kids' school fees.

When I was done, I flew back for my daughter's graduation. I decided to sell everything I owned — apart from my house — as I didn't want to have to pay loads of money for storage.

Although my initial commitment was for two years, I was on a local contract and could stay in Dubai as long as I had a job. It was a calculated risk, selling everything and anticipating my love for living abroad.

In May 2023, I flew with my kids to Dubai. We arrived at the beginning of summer when many expats tend to leave the city because of the heat. The high temperatures in Dubai between May and August range from around 100 to 105 °F.

That summer, my kids didn't have any friends. However, they had one another. I was grateful for that.

Before I went to work, I said, "While I'm gone, I want you guys to make your bucket list of things you would like to do in Dubai."

When I got home, our wall was full of sticky notes with things to do. We planned fun outings, like visiting Warner Bros. World in Abu Dhabi and having an Emirati dinner. When we were done, we would move the sticky notes on the wall from "to do" to "done."

So, instead of sulking and being sad inside, we were excited about what we could discover.

My kids have benefited from living in Dubai

My sons now attend a school with an American curriculum, but they are the only American students. It has allowed them to meet people from all over the world.

They also have independence here that they never had in the US. My 14-year-old son will get in a taxi and go wherever he wants. There's freedom and safety that they have not experienced before.

This has all contributed to why they now love Dubai. On Thanksgiving last year, my older son said, "I'm so grateful that you moved us here." That was music to my ears because I've watched them grow up a lot.

Nothing is the same here. But they've navigated it with resilience, agility, and grace.

The experience brought us closer together

It can be lonely to be an expat in a new place.

But having to rely on each other and experiencing new things together have made us closer. My kids enjoy my company, and I am so grateful for that.

I miss my family and friends, and I know they would like us to come home. At this point, however, I love Dubai and our quality of life here.

My daughter has since returned to the US for work, and my sons will soon leave the nest as well.

I don't know what the future holds, but for now, Dubai is home.

• Dubai is scrambling to build opulent mansions and apartments to accommodate a wave of rich expats.
• If you can find one up for sale, a luxury home in Dubai is still cheap compared with New York or London.
• The priciest property on the market is a $134 million coastal villa with views of the Burj Khalifa.

The world's rich have a soft spot for Dubai for its prime location between the East and West, its golden visa scheme — and lack of income tax.

The rate at which they're moving to Dubai, with businesses and families in tow, means developers are scrambling to build more luxury accommodation.

Property prices in the emirate are expected to rise by 8% in 2025, but real estate agents tell Business Insider that Dubai is still a buyer's market.

"When you put Dubai on the global stage, and you're looking at relative affordability and affordable luxury, it's still reasonably priced compared to elsewhere in the world," Faisal Durrani, Knight Frank's head of research for the Middle East and North Africa, told BI.

Seconding Durrani's perspective is B1 Properties, a brokerage catering to ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

It's listing the most expensive property in Dubai —  a 495 million dirhams ($134 million) villa on Jumeirah Bay Island, one of the city's four prime neighborhoods.

Take a look inside.

The $134 million villa is one of seven nestled by the water within Dubai's Bulgari Hotel and Resort.

Branding and scarcity are two of the most critical factors in determining real estate prices in Dubai, a B1 Properties representative told BI.

They said this property has both as its under the Bulgari Hotel and Resort umbrella and one of only seven villas on the coastline.

The mansion, which covers about 20,000 square feet, is a touch less than the 12,500-square-foot penthouse in New York City that reportedly broke the record for Manhattan's most expensive sale in 2024 at $135 million.

"Dubai is still considered buyer-friendly when it comes to price per square feet compared to key metropolitan or coastal cities like New York, Miami, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong," the B1 representative said.

The two-story villa has appliances and interiors from the likes of Hermès and Baccarat.

The villa, which is being sold fully furnished, underwent an extensive renovation to exude "luxury in its every element," the B1 Properties representative said.

Appliances, furnishings, and interiors, products from some of the most luxurious brands on the market, including Hermès, Baccarat, Steinway & Sons, and Miele, can be found in the kitchen, living areas, and bedrooms.

The villa has four bedrooms, six bathrooms, and amenities including a gym and sauna.

All four bedrooms are on the second floor. Other amenities include steam room and sauna, cinema, massage room, and a gym.

Since listing the sale earlier this year, B1 Properties said that most of the attention was from families, aligning with the neighborhood's demographic.

"We've had interest from buyers of various nationalities, predominantly billionaires, entrepreneurs, and global business owners with families," they said. "This particular community is more suited to families, given the secluded nature of these villas."

Acircular cabana overlooks the pool and has views of Dubai's cityscape.

The covered circular seating area with a fire pit is steps away from the 141-foot-long pool, which is fitted with an underwater sound system, per the listing.

The patio area offers views of Dubai's skyline, dotted with skyscrapers including the Burj Khalifa.

Finding a waterfront property in a prime neighborhood in Dubai is "extremely rare".

Dubai may be a coastal city, yet growing demand means upmarket accommodation by the water that's ready to be occupied is increasingly hard to find, the B1 Properties representative said.

"Luxury properties, particularly those offering unique features, rarely stay on the market long due to their scarcity and the targeted demand. Buyers are eager to secure properties quickly, often outbidding one another due to limited availability."