CHLOE Bennett, 27, was sick of life in Eastbourne, East Sussex and was “bored” on weekends – where her most exciting activity was going to Home Bargains.

After visiting a friend in , she fell in love with the city, quit her job and moved out in December 2023 – without a job or anywhere to live.

Chloe Bennett on a balcony in Dubai with the Burj Khalifa and other skyscrapers in the background.Chloe revealed why she decided to make the moveCredit: SWNS Chloe Bennett in Dubai at night.Chloe ditched the UK for sunny Dubai, and never wants to move backCredit: SWNS I ditched the UK for Dubai without a flat or a job - I'd never move back homeChloe came to Dubai on holiday to see a friend, and fell in love with itCredit: SWNS

Despite initially having to take a pay cut to get work she immediately felt happier due to the , and abundance of things to do.

And now after two years there she runs her own company as a social media manager – earning her 20% more than her UK role in tech sales.

Chloe said: “It’s so cold and miserable in the UK, and there’s nothing to do in the evenings.

“I just worked a normal 9-5, and then spent my weekends going around and TK Maxx and that was the most excitement I got.

“I came to Dubai on holiday to see my friend, and I just fell in love with it.

“It’s sunny all year round. There’s so much to do, and it’s hard to be depressed, when you open your curtains every day and it’s sunny.

“Now I spend my weekends going wakeboarding, visiting the zoo, and staying on boats. There’s just so much more to do.

“I’ve started my own company here, got a puppy, and I can’t imagine ever going back.”

Chloe was “miserable” in the UK after going through a break-up and a family relationship break down.

She decided to quit her job in tech sales – after five years of working for the firm.

“I came to see my friend in Dubai and she was having a great time, and it just felt like a nudge to try something new”, she said.

However, she found it hard to line up a job in the , as she said that most over there are commission based, instead of salaried.

“I tried for months to get a job, but I just decided to leave anyway with no job and nowhere to live, and just give it everything,” she said.

When Chloe landed in Dubai, she began a room alongside a girl she met through a rental app, to keep costs down.

She also began posting lots on her about moving to Dubai and was contacted by a recruiter she’d spoken to previously, who offered her a job at a real estate company.

Before starting the job, she met a girl who worked for the same company, and they ended up having lunch together every day, and eventually moved into an apartment together.

The real estate job paid Chloe less than she was earning in the UK, but it didn’t matter because she was happier.

In April 2025, she decided to take the leap and create her own social media management company, Socials with Chloe, where she now earns 20% more than her UK job, which allows her to live comfortably, despite high costs.

Despite loving her life in Dubai, Chloe said that the one negative is being away from her family.

“When I left my little brother was seven, and now he’s about to be 10, it’s nuts how much he’s grown”, she said.

“I feel like I’m missing out on a lot, this is going to be my second away from them.”

However, Chloe’s best friend has recently relocated to Dubai with her partner, which has helped her to feel less homesick.

How easy is it to move abroad?

Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving:

  • Notify HMRC about your upcoming move.
  • Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address.
  • Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving.
  • If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad – contact the International Pension Centre .
  • You can sign up to the Royal Mail’s redirection service .
  • If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre .
  • If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools.

Another thing that she misses about the UK is the food.

“I’m just really fussy, the chicken nuggets here taste so different, I don’t know what it is”, she said.

Chloe said that Dubai has a massive entrepreneurship culture, and that there are much more opportunities there than in the UK.

She said: “As crazy as it sounds, I feel like you can do anything you wanted. If you want to start your own company or launch a clothing line, you can do it, people are so supportive.”

Dubai is famous for being expensive, but after making a TikTok about the price of in the UAE, Chloe was met with dozens of comments from Brits, claiming that the UK is now equally as expensive as Dubai.

“From what I hear, the prices are pretty much the same in both places now”, she said.

She added, that she never buys a food shop anymore, as it’s much cheaper to just get takeaways every night, and pays just £3 a month for free delivery.

“You can get anything you want delivered in 15 minutes, it’s so much better than Uber Eats back home”, she said.

Coming from a small town, Chloe said that everyone knew everybody’s business back home, and she loves that Dubai is nothing like that at all.

“Dubai is actually really tiny, and everyone know everyone, but they don’t know everyone’s business”, she said.

Chloe recently got a puppy, and now spends her weekends at a nearby dog beach, watching her pooch swim in the sea.

She said she can’t imagine ever going back to the UK, adding that the only thing that worries her about living in the UAE long term is that the schools are all private.

“I know a lot of people who say that they will go back, but for me personally, I can’t see it happening”, she said.

Eze Chidiebere Paul

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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