Our big worries: rent, traffic, prices

Wide-ranging survey finds that nationals and expatriates have different viewpoints of what they like and dislike about living in the Emirates.

Traffic at a virtual standstill in Abu Dhabi's busy Hamdan Street.

ABU DHABI // High rents, traffic and inflation are the three most pressing problems facing UAE residents, a wide-ranging survey on life in the Emirates finds. The survey, conducted by the market research company YouGov Siraj, asked Emiratis and expatriates to list the best and worst aspects of life in the country. Respondents were divided by emirate of residence, age, income group, gender and ethnic group.

While they praised the country's safety, and cited job opportunities as the reason for moving here, the survey highlighted the different perceptions among Emiratis and other ethnic groups. "Emiratis, Asians and westerners seem to have quite different experiences," said Maria Joao Neves, a regional research director at YouGov Siraj. For example, the fact that the UAE is an Islamic country was one of the top three things praised by Emiratis and expatriate Arabs. That was low on the lists of Westerners, who said better career opportunities and lack of taxation were the things they liked most.

Expatriates from the subcontinent also cited tax-free status, as well as the clean environment and lack of political conflict. Nationwide, high rents were the most commonly expressed problem, although heavy traffic was the main complaint from residents of Sharjah. "Inflation is a big concern for everybody, including Emiratis," Ms Neves said. "If the Government were to do something to check the rate of inflation, that would improve people's perception."

Westerners also referred to encountering rude and arrogant behaviour and uncertainty over legal rights. Ms Neves said Westerners were probably more concerned about legalities because they were more likely than other expatriates to buy property. "Until very recently they didn't know where they stood in terms of land rights." The third most popular reason for living in the UAE was that the respondents were born and brought up here.

"Locals do have privileges that a lot of expatriates don't have and that does make people feel like they are outsiders," Ms Neves said. "Expatriates can't become citizens and that's important to a lot of people." Khalid, a Yemeni born in the UAE who was not among the survey respondents, said inequality between Emiratis and residents like himself was troubling. He complained about the lack of citizenship rights for those who have no other home.

"I've never been to Yemen and I'm not going any time soon," he said. "I've lived here all my life. My brother has lived here. He just went to university and now to come back he needs a visit visa." Recent changes to the visa system require those seeking visit visas to await the paperwork in their home countries. For people like Khalid, that would mean going to Yemen. "I don't know anyone there," he said.

Sixteen per cent of the Emiratis surveyed said the country was too liberal. Emiratis were the most likely group to say the UAE is a good place to raise a family. One fifth of all Asians said they most disliked the discrimination against them. While 59 per cent of all the people surveyed said they would recommend to others that they move to the UAE, the country's most avid supporters lived in either Abu Dhabi or the Northern Emirates.

The lower the respondents' monthly income, the more likely they were to say they felt a sense of belonging in the UAE. Less than 34 per cent of those who earned more than US$8,000 (Dh29,400 a month) said they felt at home here, compared with 59 per cent of those who made less than US$1,066. "Before, people would stay for three to four years and then leave. Now the UAE is moving toward a more stable community," Ms Neves said.

"It's interesting that despite the transitory nature of the community ? there was a sense of belonging. When asked 'Do you feel at home?' 85 per cent of people said yes, or that they felt a little at home ? that means the country is certainly moving in the right direction. People are staying longer in Dubai and the UAE." @Email:[e-mail]