I lived there between the years 2000 and December 2004 - I was really young at the time but it was really fun. I'll try to keep this short, but this is all I remember:
- Money is so, so damn easy
- Everything is so expensive
- English is incredibly widespread
- If you have a foreign passport, you would have been paid extra (not sure if this is the case thanks to Emiratisation)
- Very multicultural
- Can be very flashy. Look into other cities such as Abu Dhabi (I lived there for most of the time) or Sharjah - things may be slightly cheaper in the latter.
- There is always something to do!
- IT'S SO HOT DURING SUMMER GODDAMMIT. 50C is nothing out of the ordinary. 55C isn't uncommon either.
- Everything changes very fast. All of the above may have changed!
- Class-based racism is a thing. If you're Asian, you could face discrimination because of the labourers who are usually south Asian and thus lower class. Not always the case but be aware.