The Dubai myth is shattered. Now, these expat elites face a rude awakening after years boasting of safe streets and ‘tax-free’ living

I’ve seen them, you’ve seen them, we’ve all seen them.

First there were the city slickers who left for the coast during the Covid WFH era. Then there were the digital nomads selling the dream of running a business from Bali.

Now it’s Dubai expats.

You know the ones – the influencers who brag about how they’ve been living ‘tax-free’ for years in the Gulf while the rest of us idiots are giving away up to half our salary to the Australian government.

It certainly seems tempting. After all, who wouldn’t want to quit the 9-5 to sell courses and film YouTube videos from seven-star hotels?

Some, like influencer Sarah Harris – not to be confused with the TV and radio host of the same name – even claim they feel safer in the UAE than in Australia.

But now, with the region on the brink, some are realising the realities of living in the Middle East, far from the safety of the so-called lucky country. 

I can’t say I have much sympathy for them.

As Iran retaliates against US/Israeli strikes, some Aussie and Kiwi expats are discovering the downside of leaving our shores for the promise of an elite lifestyle where there is zero per cent income tax, nine per cent corporate tax and a small five per cent VAT on goods and services (their version of the GST).

There is no shortage of videos on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram of people declaring they live like royalty thanks to not having to pay ’47 per cent taxes here in Australia’.

That refers, by the way, to the top marginal tax rate for individuals, consisting of a 45 per cent top tax bracket plus the two per cent Medicare Levy. The richest of the rich, in other words.

The DubaiCatch Podcast seems only too happy to point out these advantages in the hopes of luring more Aussies to its shores.

And if you have money, it can be a wonderful playground.

And, yes, it is also relatively safe for Western women – largely thanks to gated communities, strict public order laws, and severe penalties for assault and harassment.

Ms Harris, whom I mentioned earlier, posted a video just three days ago walking around Dubai late at night.

‘I just did 10k steps at 10pm, alone,’ she wrote over video of her walking in the dark, while holding up what looked like a diamond bracelet.

‘Expensive jewellery and cash on me but I didn’t look over my shoulder once.’ 

I can’t help but wonder how safe she is feeling now as Iran’s blasts rock Dubai?

It’s a horrifying situation to be in and I am not making light of it, but she and other well-to-do expats have been bragging with varying degrees of subtlety about their lifestyles over there for years, often putting down Australia and New Zealand in the process.

Louise Starkey has come under fire over a video she posted during the strikes where she proclaimed: ‘It’s not meant to be happening here.’ She was labelled ‘selfish’ after many took her comment to mean the fighting was supposed to be confined to less-fortunate countries.

Much like Ms Harris, in January this year, Ms Starkey had posted an Instagram Reel titled: Sydney or Dubai: which city feels safer?’

‘In Sydney, I’ve had clothes stolen from my washing line,’ Starkey said.

‘I’ve been chased by a man late at night while walking to my car. I don’t walk around with headphones in. I cross the street if someone is coming towards me after dark, and I hold my keys in my hand. 

‘In Dubai, I can walk at night without thinking twice. I don’t feel on edge. I’ve never had anything stolen. I don’t feel like I need to be on guard all the time.’ 

Without dismissing her prior experiences of feeling unsafe in Australia, she clearly spoke too soon in characterising Dubai as a new Eden. 

Meanwhile, personal trainer Tabby Knight previously declared she had ‘no reason to stay back in Australia’ thanks to tax concessions in Dubai and the superior lifestyle.

As conflict beckons, I wonder whether she can think of any reason to stay in Australia now?

When Olympic gold medallist Steph Rice moved to Dubai, she only bought a one-way ticket. Last night she posted: ‘Please help me in praying for all my friends, loved ones and people in the UAE that they would be protected and feel a tangible sense of God’s peace in the scary situation.’ 

It certainly is a scary situation, and we are lucky here in Australia that we are not subjected to these types of attacks.

But it’s not just the fear of missiles these stars and influencers should be considering when they leave our shores.

There have been serious accusations of human rights violations in the UAE, including slave labour, restrictions on political expression and a lack of women’s rights.

Questions often surface in the comments whenever influencers wax hagiographic about the City of Gold. Some offer measured answers – no city or country is perfect, after all. Others, it seems, would rather not think about the ugly side.

Because while certain expat elites love to boast of the glamour and opportunity, most bristle if you dare to ask about the underclass, the human cost of seven-star luxury.

Over the weekend, some realised that despite their riches and Instagram followers, they are just foreign citizens in a fraught region. They’ll never be considered ‘one of us’ – only visitors. I expect many will be considering a flight home, even if that means paying significant income tax again.

The Dubai crisis made me think of those Aussies who move to Bali for a cheaper lifestyle, only to launch GoFundMe campaigns for repatriation when things go wrong. Suddenly they want the first-class medical treatment our country can provide thanks to tax dollars.

But let’s not forget: while it’s easy to snipe at influencers when reality punctures their rose‑tinted posts, entitled behaviour is still happening right here in Australia.  

This weekend, I saw so many people complaining on the news about their travel plans being interrupted that I almost threw my remote at the TV. You see a person’s true colours when, amidst chaos and death, they’re more worried about cancelled flights. Yes, it’s inconvenient – but flights are cancelled for a reason. It’s a literal war zone.

But that’s minor compared to those who leave our shores for a better lifestyle and then complain ‘it’s not meant to be happening here’ when it all goes wrong.

Australia might not be perfect, but I still rank it better than most countries. When these expats put down our way of life, I’m not interested in hearing their sob stories.

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