A woman who moved to Dubai to escape the "miserable" UK lifestyle now has to work six days a week to afford to live. Elbi Henshaw, 23, moved to Dubaiin January after going there on holiday and realising how "depressing" her life in the UK was.

She had worked in Saudi Arabia for a period and decided to give Dubai a try. Elbi, from Barnet in North London, moved with financial help from her parents and found full-time work as a personal trainer. While she is settled in Dubai - a destination British influencers flock to - eight months on, she does miss UK pubs and pub culture. Another major challenge is how expensive the cost of living is in Dubai, with yoghurt costing £12 and coffee from £7. She said it is "dog-eat-dog", with people working six-day workweeks and picking up extra work to make ends meet. Elbi loves her location, but admits she "didn't like it at first" because it can feel "lonely" trying to find a circle of friends in such a high-intensity environment. Elbi said: "In the UK, I was so depressedand miserable and everyone is so sedentary - I wanted a more active lifestyle. Out here, everyone is happier and active, and they all want to be the best versions of themselves.

"I work full time, but it's hard not to just spend all your money - you'd need about £5k a month here to live comfortably. But you can pick up extra work quite quickly - at the moment I work six days, but I'll probably end up working seven.

"Paying no tax is a perk, but the cost of living out here is so expensive that it ends up the same as in the UK. But here, you get the sun and a much better lifestyle - although I miss the pubs."

Elbi initially lived in a studio flat before moving into a shared flat with two other young women. After attending a local run club, someone connected her with a gym manager and secured her a job as a personal trainer.

She was immediately overwhelmed by the number of things to see and do in the city, including dining at luxury restaurants and shopping at the famous Dubai Mall.

Elbi immediately identified the "fast-paced and non-stop lifestyle" - with people often working long hours each week to be able to afford the luxurious location.

She said: "The rent is more expensive than in the UK, and you have to pay big deposits on things like apartments and cars. Clothing is more expensive too - and coffee is like £7 minimum, sometimes as much as £10 a cup.

"I'd say the average salary for a normal person here is like £3,000 a month, but you want more like £5,000 to live comfortably if you want to go out for meals, and buy new clothes.

"I try to work, work, work so that I can enjoy Dubai - there are lots of group chats and apps for companies to advertise weekend work."

Eight months in, she's loving her life there, working as a PT at a luxury gym visited by "high-end clients." But there is one reason why she'd move back to the UK.

She said: "You have to put your ego aside and put yourself out there - I messaged other women out of the blue, inviting them for coffee."

But she said Dubai can be tricky, as there is less of a "sense of community" for young adults, making it tricky for her to date without using apps. She said: "It's so hard to meet guys, because there are no authentic meet-ups.

"People don't stand in the streets around pubs - you have to schedule it in. And it's hard to date as everyone is so busy 24/7 that you never find the time. I do miss the sense of community and pubs in the UK.

"I love it, but I can't really imagine meeting someone out here and it becoming serious. People come out here who already have a partner or family, and the ones who are single are never looking for anything serious.

"I could see myself building a life here, but if I get to 27 and I'm not in a relationship, I'll move back to the UK as I want to start a family."