FOR A CERTAIN type of person, Dubai had it all. Vast, air-conditioned shopping malls, good schools for the kids, low rainfall and even lower taxes. Before the Iran war, it was exceptionally safe too. But cities across the Gulf have recently become much less appealing for expats. In fact, no other region’s liveability has taken such a big hit this year, according to an annual index by EIU, our sister company.
The ranking is designed to help HR departments calculate hardship allowances for overseas staff. It scores 173 cities across five categories: health care, culture and environment, education, infrastructure and stability.