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[nomad-ish]

Yup, I'll ask. I've done some research on this already, but I'm hoping someone will tell me that the expat life there is amazing and there's a chance to meet someone during one of these nights out... Anyone?

[nomad soul]

There's lots on this topic via an Internet search on dating in abu dhabi. Also, check out Time Out Abu Dhabi as well as the numerous expat sites with lifestyle info and forums where you can get responses/advice from a larger cross section of expats. Do a search using expat forum abu dhabi.

As for meeting someone, probably; the UAE has one of the highest male to female population ratios in the world.

[dragonpiwo]

Plenty of women about. I'm married, so haven't thought about how you'd go about meeting them. However, everywhere you go from bars to clubs to restaurants to beaches there's plenty of the opposite sex. I never heard of a woman having a hard time dating in the ME.

[mishmumkin]

I think this depends a lot on your stage of life. Speaking from personal experience, there are a lot of men who will show interest (online dating seems to have become the method of choice), but that doesn't equate to a relationship. I wouldn't say this is a great place to find your soul mate, as many don't see themselves here in the long-term. There are also a lot of men just looking for *ahem* companionship. If that's what you want, then you're in luck.

[nomad soul]

[mishmumkin]

[veiledsentiments]

[mishmumkin]

[spanglish]

From my vast knowledge and experience of....two weeks in Abu Dhabi...I'd venture to guess it's a downright awful place for dating, at least for the single expat male. Though boring, I did find the location more appealing than Dubai.

[dragonpiwo]

Well, the word I would use to describe the atmosphere is 'sterile'.Another one I'd use to summarize the place is overpriced.

I've been to the 5* restaurants and even 2 clubs. I've been to villa parties.
The time I enjoy on the beach with my wife far outshines all of that. We've made a friend or two and it's enough.

Frankly speaking, if you are married and/or have kids, you won't be able to afford the good stuff in AD even if you are on 30k a month if your aim here is to save a significant amount of money, which has implications for dating

Here's a typical weekend day. Me and the missus go to a beach like the one at Saadiyat. It's 25 Dhs each way in the cab, 150 for us to get on the beach, 30 for each coffee, 50 each for a salad. That's 360 already and the evening hasn't arrived. The rent for my studio is about 220 a day and then I have the bills and food. Last weekend my wife and I went to watch a friend at a 5* hotel. I had 2 beers, my wife 2 cocktails. I had a main (a seafood stew, which had 5 mussels in it and 5 clams) and my wife had a cake. The bill for the 4 drinks, piece of cake and seafood stew was 360 Dhs.

My point? If you do find a date, go Dutch.

[Gulezar]

[dragonpiwo]

Gulezar c'mon. If you pay 55-60k for a flat, then it's a hole or one which doesn't have a tawtheek like in a villa ie illegal, which means you can't sponsor your wife. I've looked at hundreds of flats and haven't seen 1 under 70k that I'd put my wife in. Or you must live out in the burbs, whcih means bying a car.

Re the beaches? We like Saadiyat. We go to the family beaches generally because my wife feels more comfotable on them, with more women around. The Corniche beaches are cheaper but more crowded and the weater isn't as clean.

And,...yawn...yes you can eat in the streetfood places and we do. They are cheap as is alcohol at Spinney's etc.

However, the moment you step into the realm of 'going out' or 'socialising' , you spend a tonne. The OP was asking about dating. It will cost him/her a tonne. I don't recall ever taking my dates to the local corner kebab shop in India town or taking them to a bar and ordering water.

The world over there's an annoying breed of TEFLer that argues they could live in Manhattan for $10 a day. The same people take tea bags from work and the toilet paper.

[Gulezar]