An Indian woman living in Dubai shared a glimpse into her everyday struggles abroad, saying life in the glamorous city is not always as luxurious as people on social media assume.
Keerthana Lokesh posted the video on her Instagram account, where she documented the condition of her apartment while talking about the less glamorous side of living in Dubai.
In the clip, Keerthana slowly panned the camera across her kitchen area, showing water leaking and spreading across the floor near the washing machine. Pointing toward the mess, she explained that she had already mentioned the issue in a previous video and claimed it had been more than a week without the problem being fixed.
“This is the kitchen,” she said while filming the cluttered and waterlogged space, adding that despite the situation, they still had to cook and eat there daily.
As she continued recording the apartment, she told viewers, “Dubai life is not easy as you think. We struggle,” explaining that she wanted to show people a more realistic side of life in the city rather than the polished version usually seen online.
In the caption accompanying the video, Keerthana reflected further on the contrast between appearance and reality in Dubai. She wrote that what people see online “isn’t always real,” adding that while life may appear effortless for some, many others experience a “silent hustle” behind the scenes.
“Same city, different lives, don’t compare your chapter,” she added.
Watch the video here:
The video quickly sparked debate online, with social media users divided over her take on life in Dubai.
Some commenters sympathised with her frustration and said the video highlighted how social media often creates unrealistic expectations about living abroad, especially in cities like Dubai that are frequently associated with luxury lifestyles, skyscrapers, and wealth.
Others, however, questioned why she had continued living in those conditions for over a week instead of hiring a technician herself or moving to a better-maintained property. A few users argued that her experience reflected an individual housing situation rather than life in Dubai as a whole, saying it was unfair to generalise an entire city or country based on one apartment issue.
Several commenters also pointed out the financial realities many expatriates face while trying to save money abroad, suggesting that cheaper rent often comes with compromises in maintenance and living conditions. Meanwhile, others said the video was still important because it showed that life overseas can involve struggles and compromises that are rarely visible on social media.
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