Hi everybody,

As said in the title, I am a future expatriate in Dubai.
I am French, I will be paid in Euros on my French bank account, in France.

I would like to know whether there is a need to open a local bank account in Dubai.
The real question is, actually, to know if payments are usually made with cash or with credit cards? Especially, I am thinking about monthly charges like telephone, internet, water, electricity and so on.

The percentage fees taken by the banks are quite high (both for card payments in foreign currencies and for international transfers), so I am wondering what is the best solution:
- to pay cash (thus not to be taken a percentage fee), i.e is it possible for the majority of the monthly charges listed above?
- to open a local bank account, to transfer (monthly) funds from my French account to my Emirati account (i.e to be taken percentage fees), and to pay with a local credit card?

What could be the real (and hidden) advantages to open a local bank account?

Thanks a lot in advance for your information and your help!!

Hugo.