UAE culture and etiquette for new residents
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What actually shapes daily life in the UAE
The UAE is a Muslim-majority country where Islamic values set the baseline for public conduct. That does not mean expat life is restricted. About 90% of Dubai’s population is foreign-born, and the city is genuinely built around international residents. What it means is that public behaviour follows a clear set of norms, and knowing them removes almost all the friction new arrivals tend to run into.
The founders we work with generally find the adjustment easier than expected, with one exception: the pace of business relationships. That one surprises almost everyone.
How does Ramadan affect daily life for residents?
Ramadan is the most significant adjustment for new residents, and it is worth approaching it with curiosity rather than inconvenience.
During daylight hours, eating, drinking and smoking in public is prohibited, and this applies to everyone regardless of religion. Most restaurants close or screen their seating. Work hours shorten by around two hours across the board. The city, which can feel manic in daylight, quietens during the day and comes alive after sunset.
After iftar (the fast-breaking meal at sundown), the atmosphere shifts completely. Restaurants fill up, events run late, and business entertaining moves firmly into the evening. If you arrive in Ramadan, factor this into any meetings or launches you are planning.
What is the right approach to dress code?
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are genuinely relaxed by regional standards. On the beach, in hotel venues, and in most malls, there is no practical enforcement of dress codes for tourists or expats.
In mosques, dress modestly and cover hair (women), shoulders and knees (everyone). In government offices, courts, and residential neighbourhoods, covering shoulders and knees is the expected norm. In Sharjah, standards are stricter than Dubai across the board.
A good working rule: ask what the setting is, not what the city is. The rules vary by venue more than by emirate.
Public behaviour: what the law actually covers
A few areas where the law is explicit and the gap from international norms is wide:
| Area | What applies |
|---|---|
| Public affection | Holding hands is broadly accepted; kissing in public is not |
| Language | Aggressive or profane language in public is a criminal matter, not just rude |
| Social media | Posting content that mocks individuals, officials or the state carries real legal risk |
| Photography | Photograph people only with consent; avoid government buildings, military sites |
| Alcohol | Licensed venues only; open containers in public are illegal in all emirates |
None of this is onerous if you know it going in. The cases that end badly for expats almost always involve either social media posts or public arguments that escalated.
How does business actually get done here?
Business in the UAE is relationship-first, and this is the adjustment that catches most international founders off guard.
Meetings will often start with twenty minutes of conversation that has nothing to do with the agenda. That is not small talk to get through. It is how trust is assessed. Moving straight to the deal, sending a contract on a first meeting, or treating interactions as purely transactional will slow you down considerably.
Building a real network here takes time but it compounds quickly. The UAE business community is smaller than it looks from outside. A good introduction from someone trusted carries genuine weight.
The Friday dynamic and working week
The federal government moved to a Monday-to-Thursday/Friday half-day week in January 2022. Many private businesses, particularly those with heavy international client bases, have stayed on Sunday-to-Thursday. Some run Monday-to-Friday. Check which week your counterparts are actually on before booking calls.
Friday prayers run around midday, and you should not schedule serious meetings on Friday morning.
What about the cultural gap more broadly?
DTC’s team has made this transition and helped dozens of founders through it. The gap is real but it closes quickly. The UAE rewards people who approach it seriously, specifically those who set up proper substance here rather than treating it as a postbox.
The practical daily experience for an expat founder is close to any international city. The layer underneath it, Islamic values in public, relationship before transaction, hierarchy and respect in formal settings, is worth understanding rather than working around.
If you are also thinking through the business structure, residency options or banking setup that comes with relocating here, that context shapes the cultural conversation too, including what “being based in the UAE” actually looks like in practice compared with living as a digital nomad.