My old man's in Dubai, has been there for years, and I've been out there lots over the past fifteen years or so. He says that everyone is nervously looking left and right, wondering if maybe the worst – which was pretty bad, considering it was a house of cards – has passed. Big companies got hit hard by the GFC but some small companies have done OK by picking up the work the big guys dropped. Rent was fearsomely expensive before the GFC and I understand it's more reasonable now. A lot of foreigners who had bought in Wimpy Homes type developments got doubly shafted – less desirable locations meant long commutes and the price cratered. Can't tell you if Abu Dhabi got hit less or more than Dubai, though.
Good side: low tax, cheap utilities and petrol, clean, low crime, some interesting people, good winter weather, good offroading prospects to an extent, interesting travel if you're into that sort of thing, plenty of eating and boozing opportunities, cheap housemaids/gardeners etc, most houses are new and pretty well-equipped, can watch UK TV if you can get a good proxy to work.
Bad side: bad and dangerous traffic, horrible summer weather, modern day slavery, need car for each adult, bad job security (foreigners have a very limited time to pack up and leave if they lose their jobs), pay for private schools, poorly developed health+safety enforcement, shonky and sharp business practices (kickbacks etc) are common, poorly developed courts etc, offroading ruined by dickheads tearing up wadis without considering whether there's anyone else there and dumping shit all over the desert.
Dubai is usually preferred by foreigners over Abu Dhabi – just a bit more relaxed and happening. Personally, I would have worked in Dubai if I was young and single (cheap cars, plenty of boozing and plenty of other young singles) or older with young kids (the schools can be good and you can bring them up bilingual English and Arabic/French/German/Farsi/whatever), but right now…naah. I'm assuming you're a bloke too.
In summary: it's not ideal but really it's what you yourself make of it. Also – don't rely on secondhand opinions of people who have never been there (which is probably true of anywhere come to think of it). And ask for the employer to pay for flight out and interview.
