Abu Dhabi: the vibe
Videos from people who went, played right here, with what viewers said underneath. Not part of the score.
The verdict
Liked · 74Commenters who have actually lived in Abu Dhabi describe a calm, safe, less crowded city that beats Dubai for family life and work-life balance, with caveats on cost, heat and limited jobs.
- calm and quiet pace
- safety and low crime
- less crowded than Dubai
- easy driving and traffic
- family-friendly community
- respectful, friendly locals
- high cost of living
- difficult to find good jobs
- conservative social norms
- heat
- limited nightlife and metro
- Long-term residents find it calmer and more homely than Dubai
- Expats say it feels safe, peaceful and respectful
- Cost is high and job access can be hard
- Conservative culture requires visitors to dress and behave respectfully
- Many video comments are generic praise, so evidence is moderate
Read from 8 videos, 40 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-08; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.
My 1st Time In Abu Dhabi, UAE 🇦🇪 (Better Than Expected?)
Ken Abroad · 325K views · 2025
What viewers said
“No planning, no itinerary, no looking into local stuff. Goes in, does his best and tries to be open minded and respectful. This is the good stuff.”
♥ 337 likes
“Always like your attitude Ken - promoting a new small business for no financial gain to yourself was very kind of you.”
♥ 155 likes
“Habibi welcome to my emirate, we are proud to listen to your positive feedback”
♥ 31 likes
“40:56 Thank you for pointing that out Ken. The idea isn’t to wear a hijab as a tourist when travelling to Muslim countries, but the least tourists can do is be respectful of the country they are privileged enough to enjoy.”
♥ 101 likes
“Glad you’re exploring Abu Dhabi. Unpopular opinion: it’s the city that stays calm, no unnecessary fuss, smoother traffic, less noise, deep-rooted culture, strong character, open spaces, and a pace that feels intentional rather than rushed. ”
♥ 23 likes
“When I met different nationalities in the UAE, I noticed that Filipinos were always the most peaceful and cooperative, always with a good smile.”
♥ 76 likes
“As an Emirati i think i can speak for my country and we are honored to have you.”
♥ 16 likes
“You know Ken is a German when he has to spend five minutes explaining why he shows a clip without speech for a few seconds 🤣😆😂”
♥ 86 likes
“Ken, I was on vacation in Dubai & Abu Dhabi for the first time, a few weeks ago. I chatted with a lot of people ( 2 year visa workers - Uber drivers/service industry workers etc) all of them said they were financially better off working the”
♥ 41 likes
“Abu Dhabi truly has a special calm vibe. Living here for 13 years as an expat, I’ve experienced nothing but safety, respect, and peace. Friendly locals, good people, and a culture where everyone minds their own business. A beautiful city an”
♥ 56 likes
Found with a YouTube search for the city and “digital nomad”, fetched 2026-11-08; titles, descriptions and comments belong to their authors and link to the originals.