Some of the things I miss most about the UAE aren’t grand or glamorous. They’re the everyday conveniences that made life run smoothly: meals with plenty of choices, massages booked to my door, cars I could rent by the hour, and government tasks handled on my phone. And then there was the grocery order that arrived in under 6 minutes.
1. Groceries in 6 minutes
One of my favorites was having an Amazon Now shop on my street. I once ordered a regular grocery run (about 10 things: oranges, butter, eggs, etc) I expected it to take a while, so I got absorbed in another task. but less than 6 minutes later, the delivery guy was already at my door! He was so fast it actually startled me haha. I’d barely had time to forget I’d placed the order.
2. Meal delivery every day
Meals on Me was another service I loved. It offered around 25 calorie-controlled dishes delivered to my door each day, with international flavors and plenty of options to choose from. I used it to maintain my weight, and I liked having interesting meals ready without planning every detail myself.
3. Home massages
Delivery made daily life so convenient. With Careem+, I could get groceries delivered without a delivery fee. I could arrange massages and beauty services at home, and I had regular cleaners. There were days when it felt entirely possible to take care of everything without leaving the house. That was a luxury in its own right.
4. Rental cars by the minute, hour or day
Getting around could be just as flexible. I used uDrive to rent cars by the minute, hour, or day, and I also rented a new car each month through Amazon. It was lovely to have options that could match whatever I needed at the time.
5. Streamlined banking & errands all on my phone
I especially appreciated how much I could do online. I opened a bank account on my phone and rarely needed to visit an office for government or banking tasks. The Dubai government apps felt streamlined and easy to use, so routine errands often stayed routine instead of becoming a whole afternoon.
NOTE: I’m describing services I used while living in the UAE, apps and availability change
