Overview

• Rachel Burns reports paying about £12,700 in rent in one or two cheques per year, plus a 5% agent commission and a £600 air-conditioning deposit.
• She says groceries, phone contracts and clothing cost more than in the UK, citing bacon at up to £14 a pack and poor quality.
• Some bills are cheaper, including roughly £70 a month to fuel her 2017 Jaguar XE and about £80 for water and electricity, which she estimates at around half UK family costs.
• Modern apartment blocks offer amenities such as pools and 24-hour maintenance, yet she notes recurring add-on fees, expensive individual drinks and reliance on set-menu or ladies’ night packages.
• She adds that earning online requires an influencer permit and trade licence costing about £500–£3,000 with consent rules for filming, and she says she is settled with plans to start a business.