Would you retire to a Middle Eastern playground if you could?

[GiveUsThisDayOurDailyPizza]

For example UAE, Qatar

I will probably never be a high net worth individual anyway but even if I was I can’t imagine choosing to spend my retirement years in such places.

Work and live there for a few years to get ahead financially, yes, or a long layover on the way to somewhere else but what makes so many UK expats want to retire there?

This is prompted by something that came up at work. I’d love to understand the appeal as I have to interact with people for whom this is a long term ambition or plan.

I didn't know it was a retiree thing. Thought that was more Spain. Would hold no interest for me. Caribbean on the other hand...

People need to realize every country has issues no country is perfect. In UAE, you do not see stupid things like people gluing themselves to roads and from my experience, it is much safer than many European countries less crime. Of course there are issues which people have mentioned. Which country is perfect? France? Minorities suffer from a lot of racism there. Women who want to wear religious symbols are not allowed leaves them ostracised . Israel says it is democratic but Amnesty and a lot of human right organizations have shown how many human rights violations the government there have done. Whatever country you say there will always be problems - all countries have good and bad aspects.

Definitely, definitely not. Many of those countries are simply not safe.

Of course they do, but it’s not unreasonable to say that bad aspects that include preventing women from being in control of their own lives would be dealbreakers. I don’t think we particularly owe polite enthusiasm to people who would prefer that we stayed penniless and silent.

I would find the culture far too different. Not in terms of climate, food, money etc but in terms of what the people in charge find "acceptable" vs. the values I hold.

I live in the region and wouldn't retire here, no. It's a place for gathering funds and then scarpering. The only people I know who I think would potentially choose to retire here have been here for a very long time and are approaching the end of their working career - they've got no roots to go back to really. We don't get a company or state pension.

Retirement age here is 60 here though, which is far preferable to the UK.

I think I'd retire in Italy quite happily.

I don't know many people of retirement age but I have had several work colleagues/friends who have gone to Dubai for extended periods for work (I'm a lawyer) and have LOVED it. The reasons seem to be:

• Very laid back, luxurious way of life. Lots of playing tennis or golf, yacht trips, leisurely lunches and dinners in fancy hotel restaurants, high end shopping etc
• Lovely spacious, modern accommodation with swimming pools and all the mod cons
• Cheap, abundant home help - maids, nannies, cooks, housekeepers, drivers etc
• The weather
• Very safe (assuming you play by the rules as a woman etc!)

It wouldn't be for me - even without the human rights and ethical concerns, I prefer places with a bit more culture/history and that are a bit more gritty/real/down to earth (if that makes sense), so would go for somewhere in Southern Europe or maybe elsewhere in Asia if I wanted to retire somewhere hot and (relatively) cheap. But I can see why it has appeal for a lot of people.

No. Hated my one & and only visit there. Can’t understand why any woman would choose to live there.

Reminds me of when a close relative told me she had been for a 'luxury' holiday in Sun City (in an Apartheid-era 'Bantustan' of South Africa). I asked 'How could you do that? Didn't you have any qualms?' She replied 'No, the service was great!'.

I lived in the ME for over 20 years and I know of one lot of friends who are still there and they do so purely for tax reasons. No one who has actually been there and experienced it in the good old days would entertain it. Too hot, not much to do, very cliquey. It served it place as a money maker but so glad not to be there now.

Not sure where you went, but for me, my salary, lack of bills and no tax make it a financial no brainer. And I've not had any notable issues as a female. I've been sexually harassed more in the UK than I have in Saudi.

no thanks! The way foreigners/women/gay people are often treated in these places is shocking.

Nah it's enough stopping there in transit.

Doesn't appeal to me at all

Try marrying a local, like my friend did.

Well no, I'm already married to a non local (who doesn't live here). I'm not here for love and I'm not here forever.

I would never marry a local. I'm not at all religious and it would be culturally completely incompatible.

Money isn’t everything though. You sum up the materialistic attitude of most people who move there. Some of us have morals & value other things over money.

I live and work in Qatar. I am a woman. If you have questions about what it is actually like here, I am happy to answer them. It seems many have really no idea about the current state of things here.

I wouldn't retire here, and I am not even sure if you can. Logistically, it is a great travel hub but there isn't much to do in Doha itself. The weather keeps you indoors from May - Oct. Your money doesn't go that far here, it isn't a cheap place to live. It is also hard to get a visa to stay here beyond a working visa, there isn't much of a retirement community. Only 2.5% of the population is over the age of 60 and the vast majority of those people are Qatari.

as a woman, I wouldn’t even accept a flight connection in many ME playground countries. I worry enough about my position as a woman in the United States. I’m not entering a country where they are even more explicit about not protecting women’s rights.

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Human rights and the weather being two of the main reasons.

For the poster who mentioned penniless women, under Islamic law women retain all of their money, property and any inheritance irrespective of marriage. It has been that way in Britain since around 1857 ish, but since the founding of Islam. Also never expected to change surname on marriage - just not a thing expect where there has been westernisation e.g. Turkey for example where it was mandated until very recent legislation.

Personally, I wouldn’t retire to the UAE because I found Dubai quite souless but on the last thread about the Middle East, just yesterday, people were suggesting Israel as an acceptable alternative despite settler policy etc (and I am not against the existence of an Israeli state) so this thread was only ever going one way.

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea FILTH is a well-known concept in the City. The suggestion is that people who couldn't make the grade in London went to Hong Kong. HK has probably been replaced by Dubai these days. Certainly I know some people who I thought of as pretty mediocre when they worked in London who have moved to these places and become very successful, so it seemed to work for them. Of course there are always exceptions and there are some excellent people who moved to these places from London for many reasons.

I don't think it's one or the other. You can want a better life for yourself and recognise that certains elements of a place are problematic.

There are so many foreign workers here by choice. They send their money home, they build their houses, set up businesses back home then leave.

Rights for women are improving. Yes, far behind where they should be but certainly improving. No longer need permission to travel; working in various government jobs and other professions; allowed to drive (thank goodness). The younger generation are very forward thinking. They know their country needs to change and they embrace it.

The UK is hardly nirvana.

I'll be sad when they eventually let the booze flow freely here. It's great to be shielded from that hideous aspect of UK culture.

Global warming anyone?

Thanks ExpatinQatar, it’s certainly possible for expats of sufficient means who have lived and worked in Qatar long term but this has only recently become the case.

Where are you thinking of retiring to? What would induce you to stay?

No. I wouldn’t go for a flying visit, never mind to live there.