With more people choosing to make the United Arab Emirates their home after retirement, many consistent trends are coming to the fore on how the old are deciding to spend their time in the Emirates.
While some relocate to smaller, less expensive parts of the United Arab Emirates, others adopt what is known as a transnational style of retirement in which they travel a lot between their native country and the United Arab Emirates.
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According to a social policy teacher at the University of Edinburgh, Dr İdil Akıncı, benefitting from the new visa rules and internal movement are two commonly seen trends among retired people in the country.
“The ability for adult children working in the UAE to sponsor their aging parents has made it possible for some retirees to prolong their stay,” she said. Similarly, the introduction of long-term residency options like the Golden Visa has played a key role. Another approach is financial planning through internal relocation. Some families are choosing to move to other emirates where the cost of living is lower than in Dubai, allowing them to better manage savings and day-to-day expenses in retirement.”
Dr. İdil, who is a member of AlSerkal Arts Foundation’s residency program, looks at the questions about what it is like to grow old in Dubai and the wider United Arab Emirates. Studying families in this country since 2013, Dr İdil has seen a significant shift in how retirement and the home are thought about.
Real Estate choices
According to Talal Adill, Director of Sales and Marketing at Nouba Real Estate, the number of retired folks choosing to buy property in Dubai is increasing. “Retirees are naturally favoring places such as Dubai Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and Jumeirah Village Circle,” he said. “These areas offer the right mix of luxury, convenience, and affordability. What really matters to them is being close to good healthcare, parks, shopping, and having that community feel. Many also love the idea of smart home features and eco-friendly living, which makes day-to-day life easier and more sustainable.”
He added that to “stretch their finances,” many retirees are going for off-plan properties that come with longer payment plans. “It’s a practical way to get more value,” he said. “Areas like Al Furjan and Dubai South are super attractive because they offer good-quality homes at lower prices. Some retirees are also investing in rental properties to earn passive income, which adds an extra layer of financial comfort.”
Real estate agent Huma Ahmad said that community living was high in accordance with the wishes of retirees. “I have had two people in their 60s approach me just in the last month, looking to invest in property in the UAE,” she said.
“Many people prefer to move to Ras Al Khaimah or Sharjah, where the cost of living is slightly lower,” she added, noting, “They also like to go for communities where they can go on walks regularly and have major amenities at close distance.”
Challenges for the retired in Dubai
However, according to geriatric medicine practitioner Dr Rahul Deshmukh, one of the biggest troubles facing retirees is their particular healthcare needs.
Sharing about his friend who moved to the United Arab Emirates for his retirement, Dr. Rahul said he was “concerned about the fact that he lived in an area where access to advanced healthcare was not quick.”
Dr. Rahul shared his joy that the friend, who is in his 80s, “has been managing for the last year.”
He said that the biggest difficulty is health insurance costs. “They are expensive, and even with high premiums, they only cover the basics,” he said. “It would be a great idea if there were a system for long-term residents to be issued a health card that costs around Dh10-15,000 per year, which would provide them with medical coverage at public hospitals in Dubai.”
He added that with the number of people retiring in the United Arab Emirates, there was an opportunity for the country to be part of a global thing to make cities elder-friendly.
He went on to say that not all agencies cater to the needs of the old. Nouba Real Estate helped a few of his friends find elder-friendly living arrangements.
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