How to make friends in Dubai
Making friends in Dubai is very possible, but it rarely happens by chance: most friendships here start around a shared activity you show up to again and again. Pick two or three things you enjoy, join the groups that do them, and go back every week. Below: why it can feel hard at first, and what works.
Why it can feel hard at first
Feeling alone in a city full of people is common, and it says nothing about you. Dubai has a few traits that make the first months harder:
- Almost everyone arrived from somewhere else. People already have friends from work or from their first months, and newcomers keep arriving while others leave.
- Distances and the car. Neighbourhoods are spread out, so seeing someone “just for a coffee” takes more planning than in a walkable city.
- Long working weeks. Many people work a lot, especially at the start, and evenings disappear.
- The summer. From roughly June to September, the heat moves life indoors and early in the morning or late at night.
None of this makes friendship impossible. It just means you need a routine rather than luck.
Start with what you already like
The easiest conversations start beside someone doing the same thing. Choose activities where people come back regularly, so faces become familiar:
- Sport in a group: run clubs at dawn, padel, football, beach volleyball, cycling. Sport gives you something to talk about from the first minute.
- Classes: languages, dance, cooking, photography. Same people, same time, every week.
- Volunteering: you meet people who care about the same things, without small talk.
- Professional events: if you work in a field you enjoy, meetups and talks are full of people who are also new.
One activity a week, kept for two months, does more than ten one-off events.
Use the city’s rhythm
Weekends
Since 2022 the official weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Many group activities, brunches and day trips happen then, so plan one social thing every weekend.
Mornings and evenings
Outdoor sport is easiest early in the morning and after sunset, especially from spring to autumn. Groups that meet at those times are often the most regular.
Indoor places in summer
In the hottest months, look for indoor sports, climbing walls, classes, cafés and museums, where groups keep meeting.
Turn a first meeting into a friendship
- Go back. The second and third time you show up matter more than the first.
- Suggest the next thing. “Same time next week?” or “A few of us are getting breakfast after, want to come?” is all it takes.
- Keep it small. A coffee with two people you met at the activity beats another big event.
- Host once. Organise a simple plan yourself, a walk, a game, a brunch. People who host get to know everyone.
- Stay patient. Friendships take time everywhere. A few months of regular plans is normal.
Meeting people who speak your language
It helps to have people who share your language and culture, especially at the start. Look for national and language communities, cultural associations and their events. Then make sure you also join mixed groups: Dubai is international, and that mix is one of the best things about living here.
Where IRLY fits in
IRLY is an app built for exactly this: meeting people around shared interests, then meeting in real life. You can join communities by topic, find or create activities like a run, a padel game or a brunch, and talk in the group chat before you meet. IRLY Girl offers spaces for women only. It is one option among others; whatever you use, the advice above is what makes the difference.