‘Overwhelming majority’ of Dubai residents feel safe

The residents of Dubai are some of the happiest people in the world, according to the results of a new study, with 96 per cent feeling “safe and protected”. The report further cements the fact that buying property in the emirate is a sound investment.

On a scale of one to ten, residents rated their overall happiness at 8.08, up from 7.9 in 2011, according to the Dubai Social Study released by the Community Development Authority (CDA). The survey revealed that Westerners are the most content with life in Dubai, followed by Emiratis, Arabs, Asians and Africans.

Khalid Al Kamda, director-general of the CDA, told Gulf News: “The indicators are showing improvement. Something must have happened for these numbers to go up. They come from [an action] that had impacted positively on the service [they received] and how people feel.”

According to the survey, expats from the West were the most satisfied when it comes to family life in Dubai, with 99.7 per cent describing themselves as content. Arabs came next at 99 per cent, followed by Emiratis at 97.3 per cent, while Asians and Africans expressed a 97 per cent rate of satisfaction with family life.

Almost all respondents said they were able to enjoy freedom of religion in Dubai, as well as feeling they were treated equally by policemen, judicial entities, health facilities and other government entities.

Mr Al Kamda said the survey had nothing to do with how much each participant earned. He added: “No. It’s about how they perceive happiness, how happy they are within their own environment, whether they are a labourer or an executive.”

Quality of life is something that needs to be considered before making the decision to move overseas, but the results of the study suggest that buying property in Dubai and relocating to the emirate will lead to a life of happiness.