Personal trainer Elbi Henshaw, 23, decided to move to Dubai with financial help from her parents after she began to find the United Kingdom “depressing”, but was in for a nasty surprise
A personal trainer, fed up with the “miserable” UK lifestyle, relocated to Dubai only to find herself working six days a week to afford life in the UAE city.
Elbi Henshaw, 23, made the move in January after holidaying there and realising how “depressing” her life was back in the UK.
Having previously worked in Saudi Arabia, Elbi, from Barnet, North London, she decided to give Dubai a try. With financial assistance from her parents, she secured full-time work at a gym.
Despite being settled and thriving in Dubai – a hotspot for British influencers due to its beautiful weather, stunning views and luxury nightlife – she admits missing UK pubs and pub culture eight months into her move.
Living in Dubai comes with its own challenges, including the high cost of living, with yoghurt costing £12 and coffee starting from £7. Elbi describes it as a “dog eat dog” lifestyle where people work six-day weeks and take on extra work to make ends meet, reports the Manchester Evening News.
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While Elbi now loves her location, she admits she “didn’t like it at first” as it can feel “lonely” trying to establish a social circle in such a high-intensity environment.
Reflecting on her decision, Elbi said: “In the UK, I was so depressed and miserable and everyone is so sedentary – I wanted a more active lifestyle. Out here, everyone is happier and active and they all want to be the best versions of themselves.
“I work full time but it’s hard not to just spend all your money – you’d need about £5k a month here to live comfortably. But you can pick up extra work quite quickly – at the moment I work six days but I’ll probably end up working seven. Paying no tax is a perk but the cost of living out here is so expensive that it ends up the same as in the UK. But here, you get the sun and a much better lifestyle – although I miss the pubs.”
Elbi relocated to Dubai in January – initially residing in a studio flat before moving into shared accommodation with two other young women. After joining a local running club, she struck up a conversation with someone who put her in touch with a gym manager and landed her first Dubai role as a personal trainer.
She was instantly bowled over by the sheer amount the city had to offer – from fine dining at upmarket restaurants to browsing the renowned Dubai Mall. Given she was making the move solo, Elbi admitted the initial months proved challenging whilst getting established and sorting out the necessary paperwork and banking arrangements.
She quickly recognised the “fast paced and non-stop lifestyle” – with residents frequently clocking up lengthy working weeks to afford living in the glamorous destination beloved by A-listers.
Elbi explained: “The rent is more expensive than the UK and you have to pay big deposits on things like apartments and cars. Clothing is more expensive too – and coffee is like £7 minimum, sometimes as much as £10 a cup. I’d say the average salary for a normal person here is like £3,000 a month but you want more like £5,000 to live comfortably if you want to go out for meals, and buy new clothes.
“I try to work, work, work so that I can enjoy Dubai – there’s lots of group chats and apps for companies to advertise weekend work.” However, she revealed it doesn’t amount to significantly more in total than life in the UK – where you pay taxes – apart from Dubai’s incredible views and climate.
Eight months on, she’s absolutely adoring her new life there, grafting as a personal trainer at an upmarket gym frequented by “high end clients”. Now she’s established friendships and has no immediate intentions to head back.
She explained: “You have to put your ego aside and put yourself out there – I messaged other women out of the blue inviting them for coffee.”
Elbi revealed she adores Dubai’s pristine condition – as “everywhere is spotless” and “it makes you realise how dirty the UK is.” During her downtime from work, Elbi enjoys strolling around the air-conditioned shopping centre and visiting Dubai’s incredibly luxurious cinemas.
She fills her leisure time at the pool – beach clubs including Summersalt, adored by celebrities like Molly-Mae Hague and Kady McDermott, plus Twiggy club, favoured by Paris Hilton.
Yet she admitted Dubai can be challenging as there’s less of a “sense of community” for young people – making romance difficult without relying on dating apps. She explained: “It’s so hard to meet guys, because there’s no authentic meet-ups.
“People don’t stand in the streets around pubs – you have to schedule it in. And it’s hard to date as everyone is so busy 24/7 that you never find the time. I do miss the sense of community and pubs in the UK.
“I love it but I can’t really imagine meeting someone out here and it becoming serious. People come out here who already have a partner or family, and the ones that are single are never looking for anything serious.
“I could see myself building a life here but if I get to 27 and I’m not in a relationship, I’ll move back to the UK as I want to start a family.”
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