Dubai Is Home to the Uber Rich. Here’s What the Billionaires Do With All Their Money.
One thing that isn’t lacking in Dubai is money. The total private wealth in the Middle East is calculated at around $4.3 trillion as of end of 2020. Dubai has netted a lot of this private wealth with 35,000 high net worth rich individuals thought to have migrated to the UAE over the past 20 years.
So, what do these billionaires of Dubai do in the wealthiest sand pit in history? Well they have endless ways to spend their money, but here are just 10.
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1
Sand Mobiles
When in Rome do as the Romans, but when in Dubai, get yourself wheels for the sand.
The Dubai mega rich are always ready to show off the latest way to tackle the vast dunes of the emirates.
Zarooq Motors is a unique super car manufacture that creates high end luxury vehicles that can tackle the harsh environment of their homeland of the Arabian Desert.
Their SandRacer 500 GT was the first of their sand loving super cars. With 525hp from a V8 and its carbon body frame only weighing in at 1200 kgs, it works hard on the streets and plays hard on the dunes.
And while the engine is Lombo level, when it comes to finishes, its all Rolls Royce luxury. With the finest touches with regards climate control, entertainment and comfort all included. The perfect starting point for our list.
But what are your billions worth if you can’t Make it rain…gold?
And boy do the rich in Dubai love bling.
2
Gold plated Food
Marie Antoinette might have seen cake as a luxury, but in Dubai the rich eat gold!
Forget frosting, Dubai chefs add the Midas touch to just about any part of the meal. The Bloomsbury Cupcake Shop sells a $1,200 cupcake.
The Golden Phoenix cupcake contains the usual ingredients like flour and butter but also features Italian cocoa and Ugandan vanilla beans.
But the star of the show is the 23-carat gold edible gold sheets that adorn the cupcake, gold dipped strawberries and a gold-plated cake stand. Which we can only assume you can keep, at that price!
But that’s not the end of this bling thing…
3
Cover It in Gold
Dubai’s rich love to give everything the royal treatment, and by royal treatment we mean shower it in jewels. We’re sure you have seen the images, but here is a trip down memory lane.
There was the gold-plated customized Nissan R35 GT-R, the White Gold Mercedes SLR Sports, that Range Rover covered in coins by Cars Coin. But taking the biggest slice of the precious metal cars is Turki Bin Abdullah, the seventh son of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia with his collection of gold plated cars including (but not limited to) a Ferrari, a Brabus G700 and a Bentley.
But not only cars get the royal flush. One Dubai royal family gifted their daughter a golden toilet for her wedding day. The toilet was adorned with gold furnishings and included a golden commode and a golden bidet… with a photo of her father, a king; just in case anyone forgets who sits on the REAL throne!
4
Trillion-Dollar Traffic Jams
A traffic jam in Dubai is like a super car parade in any other city in the world. Back-to-back Bugatti’s, Rolls Royce’s and Lamborghini’s line the 5-lane highway trying to get back to their mansions.
Some of the most noteworthy recent cars to hit is the Rolls Royce Sweptail, one of the most expensive cars in the world costing $12.8 million. If you have a need for speed, the Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita will turn your head in Dubai’s streets.
With the ability to reach speeds of 250 miles per hour, it has a cost of a $4.8 million. Of course, we can’t close this chapter without mention of a custom Mercedes G650 fit for a king, his Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai, cost $13 million, one of two of the cars he owns. However, this is far from the end of his impressive fleet, but let’s move on, because the buck doesn’t stop here.
5
Million-Dollar License Plates Numbers
So once the billionaire elite have their dream ride, it’s not the end of the extravagance. Dubai has a local culture of defining your status further with customized number plates. Billionaire businessman, Arif Ahmad Al Zarouni, dropped $4.5 million for his Sharjah No 1 plates.
In May 2021 a new world record was set for the most expensive number plate in Dubai, and unofficially the world. The number AA9 was bought on auction for over $10 million to an anonymous bidder.
The auction was part of the Noble Numbers event which aims to raise ‘100 Million Meals’ during Ramadan, a figure they exceeded within 10 days this year.
6
Celebrity Appearances
Dubai Billionaires don’t spare any expense when it comes to celebrity appearances. When construction billionaire, Saif Ahmed Belhasa’s son, who is only 14 years old, has a social media account loaded with selfies with the life of Akon, Messi, Nicki Minaj and Jackie Chan.
But anyone can rub shoulders with big stars if they have the type of money to book them.
Firm favorites booked for private gigs in Dubai include Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, and Paris Hilton. Their fees start from around half a million dollars, or as Dubai’s billionaires call it: pocket change.
7
Big Weddings and Lavish Events
The entertainment line-up isn’t the only big hitter at Dubai events. When it comes to big events, the sky is the limit on budgets.
When Atlantis, The Palm Hotel & Resort opened its 7-star doors in 2008 it celebrated with an opening event where no expense was spared. Celebrities flocked from around the globe to witness the glitzy event that cost $31 million for one night.
Janet Jackson, Denzel Washington, Charlize Theron and Michael Jordan were all among the A-listers.
Of course Dubai had previously set the bar very high back in 1979 when Hind Bint Maktoum married Sheikh Mohammed Rashid al Maktoum with a wedding budget of $137 million.
If you are thinking of spending your hard earned money on a grand wedding, check out 15 Reasons a Luxury Wedding Isn’t Worth the Money.
8
Collecting Shoes Like Zoo Animals
This isn’t some kind of pun. We mentioned Rashed Saif Belhasa, a few minutes ago, the son of a Dubai construction mogul with celebrity “friends”. But the kid is now a young man who has set his career on the fashion world.
Young “Money Kicks” as he is known on Instagram, is as well known for his $ million-dollar sneaker collection as he is for his exotic animal collection. He basically owns a zoo with over 500 exotic animals on a big farm including Bengal tigers, white tigers, lions, giraffes, zebras, cheetahs, panthers and chimpanzees.
His sneakers also have a special place in his heart, as well as a custom-made walk-in closet that keeps them all in perfect condition.
9
Accessories
Take a browse at RichkidsofDubai on Instagram if you want to ogle at how Dubai’s rich accessorize.
But for the summarized version over here, you can expect to find everything from skis to sunglasses with precious metals and plenty of frosting from the customized range of every famous brand in the world.
One post showed off a 50-carat diamond Bulgari Serpenti bracelet, on the moderate end of the spending spree costing just $75,000. Whereas a Harry Winston emerald-clustered diamond watch that was featured costs $1 million for the honour.
If you appreciate one of a kind accessories you’ll love our video on:
10
Falcons on a Plane
So, what do you do with your money when you already have everything?
Well, why not fly 80 hawks first class over their homeland of the Persian Gulf. This is exactly what one Saudi prince did for his feathered friends.
Falconry is a popular sport in the Middle East, so owning so many birds isn’t such a wild idea. But flying them first class is pretty…up there.
Anyway, I guess it’s proof: Birds of a feather, fly together. I mean how else would they have gotten to their destination, right?
Question:
What is the first thing you would spend your billions on?
