Looking for American Expats in the United Arab Emirates?

Thinking about moving to the UAE as an American? These pros and cons come from the InterNations Expat Insider 2026 survey, in which thousands of expats around the world share what they like and don't like about life abroad each year. The points below reflect what an American expats in the UAE wrote in their own words, backed up by survey percentages from all expats living there.

• It's stable, safe, and easy to operate in. Standout scores: 89% of expats in the UAE rate political stability positively, 94% rate personal safety positively, and 70% find bureaucracy easy (vs. 38% globally).

• Careers and the economy are strong. 92% rate the state of the economy positively and 80% say the move improved their career prospects, against a global average of 55%.

• English gets you everywhere. 80% find it easy to get by without the local language, well above the 48% global average.

• It's a polished, international travel hub. Americans praise the infrastructure and global community, and 90% rate the opportunity to travel positively.

• Work-life balance can vanish. Long hours are a common complaint, with Americans describing a work-first culture that leaves little downtime.

• The heat and thin nature wear on people. Only 50% rate the climate and weather positively and 64% the natural environment (vs. 84% globally).

• Costs add up. Just 38% rate housing affordability positively and 41% the general cost of living, as premium living gets pricey.

• Not everyone is treated equally. Americans note differences in pay and treatment by nationality as an uncomfortable feature of life there.

For Americans, the UAE offers safety, stability, strong careers, and a frictionless, international base with easy travel. The downsides are work-first culture, heat, cost, and unequal treatment across nationalities. It rewards ambitious professionals more than those seeking balance.

Every year, we publish one of the biggest global surveys for expats — Expat Insider — where we ask people living around the world about every aspect of expat life. We’ve rounded up key facts about the typical American expat: what motivated them to move to a new country, what they enjoy about life abroad, as well as what they struggle with the most.

Of course, expat living in the UAE is not just about shipping your belongings and filing in some bureaucratic papers. Regular socializing with fellow Americans is an essential part of expat life and helps getting accustomed to the Emirati way of life and mentality. InterNations helps you connect and meet up with other Americans in the UAE, residing in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharyah and many other places throughout the country. Just take a look at our group of Americans in Dubai or Americans in Abu Dhabi.

• Look up our top quality network to get to know open-minded expats from the United States of America in the UAE.
• Obtain and share insider tips in our the UAE Expat Forums – e.g. how to hire a babysitter fluent in your native tongue for your children or where to get stuffed turkey in Dubai.
• Search the InterNations Places database for the UAE to get information on institutions from your home country, including the American embassy.

From the tiny emirate of Ajman to the richest city in the world, we’ll help you connect with supportive and friendly American expats in the UAE.

Moreover, please feel free to attend our regular expat events and activities in the UAE. Our get-togethers are very diverse and range from a cozy gathering to enjoy the traditional Emirati shawarma, to big expat celebrations with hundreds of participants in Abu Dhabi’s best locations. You can also participate in one of our expat trips to go and see the beautiful wildlife conservations and sanctuaries of Ras Al Khaimah as well as other beautiful landmarks in the UAE.

Our meet-ups and activities are a great opportunity to mingle with expats from the United States of America and various other countries in a casual setting. Interested? Just sign up and you’ll soon be receiving a cordial Hello from our Americans living in the UAE!