Eight Crazy Ways Money Gets Thrown Around in Dubai

Guys, Dubai has a dark side. And it’s totally not going to be addressed in this article. Instead, we’re going to focus on the city’s insane wealth. The largest city in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai was once a sleepy fishing village that was transformed into the Las Vegas of the Middle East (sans any of the actual fun) thanks to the discovery of vast oil resources in the 1960s. If you ever make your way to Dubai, the way money is thrown around becomes immediately apparent. Here’s a look at some of the craziest ways the City of Gold flaunts its wealth.

1. Fleet of Lamborghini Police Cars

In my hometown of Davenport, Iowa, the police drive around in Fords. It doesn’t get any more modest than that, right? But in Dubai, the cops patrol the streets courtesy of powerful Lamborghinis, with each costing around $333,000 each! Question time: if you’re planning to get involved in a 200 mph police chase, should you do it in Davenport or Dubai? The answer, of course, is neither. Please.

2. Impossibly Expensive Tires

Looking to get from Santa Fe to Albuquerque? If you’re too lazy to walk the 23 hour distance, you could always opt to drive. It only takes about an hour. A set of reliable Goodyear tires cost around $600, so your budget can probably handle it. But people in Dubai laugh at the absurdity of spending a few dollars for tires. That’s why Zenises Ltd offers a set of gold and diamond-embedded tires for a mind-blowing $600,000! Alternatively, with that kind of money you could send your first child to Yale for 4 years, the second to Harvard, and still have money left over to send the youngest to Wisconsin. Sucks to be the youngest.

3. Luxurious Hotels

When a hotel boasts how many stars it has, it’s best to take it with a grain of salt. After all, there is no universal standard for determining how stars get rewarded. Case in point: The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah (the one shaped like a sailboat, if you care to know) went ahead and declared itself the world’s only “7 star” hotel because why not? In fairness, they do offer beachside butler service when getting up to pour yourself a glass of pineapple juice is beneath your dignity, Mr./Ms. DeepPockets. For $24,000 a night, you can stay in their most expensive suite. Do keep in mind that for 8 of those hours, you’ll be in a deep sleep! Oh no! So to maximize your enjoyment, might we suggest drinking a few pots of coffee?