Cost of living in Dubai

[Mars]

Originally Posted by Maz25

I personally would not advise to move Dubai without first having a firm job offer. Whilst there are companies who will be willing to employ you and get a proper visa for you, the fact of the matter remains that it is illegal to work on a visit visa and it is not as easy as some people would have you believe to find a job in Dubai. Accommodation is very expensive and you would need to have enough money saved to cover housing whilst you are in Dubai. Remember that an employer is under no obligation to provide you with a housing allowance and even if one is provided, it is very unlikely that it will be enough to cover your rent.

My advice would be to secure a job before you come out or at the very least line up a few interviews.

Best of luck!

Thanks Maz25 for you’re quick reply.
I have a friend though who will let me stay in his flat or provide me shelter and etc. for a month. Iam a little scared on the job hunting part of dubai..but Iam really willing to gamble due to the employement issues here in my country. Job hirings for dubai that are posted on clasified adds here are coursed through an employment agency, and those agencies are asking thousands of money as placement fee and I cant afford that..so what am doing is applying for job directly to companies while am still here..is it true that company there preferred to hire people from visit visa?since they usualy ask you to start ASAP?..and do you know any website or companies who accommodates like me?i badly need help..i hope you understand
Thanks Maz25

[Maz25]

Originally Posted by Mars

Thanks Maz25 for you’re quick reply.
I have a friend though who will let me stay in his flat or provide me shelter and etc. for a month. Iam a little scared on the job hunting part of dubai..but Iam really willing to gamble due to the employement issues here in my country. Job hirings for dubai that are posted on clasified adds here are coursed through an employment agency, and those agencies are asking thousands of money as placement fee and I cant afford that..so what am doing is applying for job directly to companies while am still here..is it true that company there preferred to hire people from visit visa?since they usualy ask you to start ASAP?..and do you know any website or companies who accommodates like me?i badly need help..i hope you understand
Thanks Maz25

Under no circumstances should you pay any money to any recruitment agency. Any reputable agency will collect their fee directly from the employer.

Whilst some companies recruit people on visit visa, you need to be aware that it is illegal to work on a visit visa. If caught you will be fined 50,000 AED and be immediately deported. You will also be banned for life from entering the UAE. Without a proper visa, you will not be able to open a bank account, buy and register a car, get a prepaid or post paid mobile phone contract and worse still, if your employer fails to pay you, it will be very difficult to get what you are due off him as you would have been breaking the law by working and this could very easily invalidate your contract. Even if you are in your home country, as long as your company is prepared to process your visa express, then you can out here in less than a week!

Try Monster Gulf or Bayt for jobs. If you type those in google, the websites should come up.

Whilst I appreciate that your friend will let you stay with him for a month, you need to be thinking further ahead. What will happen after that time? You need to make sure that by then you have a steady income and are able to financially support yourself.

[Mars]

Originally Posted by Maz25

Under no circumstances should you pay any money to any recruitment agency. Any reputable agency will collect their fee directly from the employer.

Whilst some companies recruit people on visit visa, you need to be aware that it is illegal to work on a visit visa. If caught you will be fined 50,000 AED and be immediately deported. You will also be banned for life from entering the UAE. Without a proper visa, you will not be able to open a bank account, buy and register a car, get a prepaid or post paid mobile phone contract and worse still, if your employer fails to pay you, it will be very difficult to get what you are due off him as you would have been breaking the law by working and this could very easily invalidate your contract. Even if you are in your home country, as long as your company is prepared to process your visa express, then you can out here in less than a week!

Try Monster Gulf or Bayt for jobs. If you type those in google, the websites should come up.

Whilst I appreciate that your friend will let you stay with him for a month, you need to be thinking further ahead. What will happen after that time? You need to make sure that by then you have a steady income and are able to financially support yourself.

Thank you very much Maz25...you’re advices are highly appreciated..

Have a good day!

[Tiny]

OK cost of living again. I have spent most of this evening trying to work out what my family expenses are likely to be to ensure this move is worthwhile. I would really appreciate your help in seeing if the below looks reasonable or if something looks really odd. i'll be surprised if im close. Ive gathered most of the information from the forum and may have added on a bit here and there to estimate....hence the need for a check.

We are a family of 3 (9mth old son). Looking to live in a 2 bed apartment, not sure where yet but lets just say for argument sake in Emirates Hills. Husband travelling to Airport for work 6 out of 10 days, probably by car. My driving will be local to and from tots groups (hopefully ). Food shopping basically includes all baby necessities and ive based it on what i estimate i spend in the UK, therefore presuming the price is not much different. We dont live extravagantly but we do like to live comfortably.

Desc £'s per year dhs per year
Rent 26500 180000
utilities (elec, water, gas) 3500 24000
House Tax 5% (based on 180k) 1320 9000
ADSL 450 3000
Cable TV 530 3600
House and car insurance 440 3000
flights home toHeathrow 1000 7000
Petrol (based on 8 dhs per gallon) 1000 7000
House Shopping i.e food 8000 54500
health club 900 6000

anything else?????
thanks in advance
tiny

[flossie]

Originally Posted by Tiny

OK cost of living again. I have spent most of this evening trying to work out what my family expenses are likely to be to ensure this move is worthwhile. I would really appreciate your help in seeing if the below looks reasonable or if something looks really odd. i'll be surprised if im close. Ive gathered most of the information from the forum and may have added on a bit here and there to estimate....hence the need for a check.

We are a family of 3 (9mth old son). Looking to live in a 2 bed apartment, not sure where yet but lets just say for argument sake in Emirates Hills. Husband travelling to Airport for work 6 out of 10 days, probably by car. My driving will be local to and from tots groups (hopefully ). Food shopping basically includes all baby necessities and ive based it on what i estimate i spend in the UK, therefore presuming the price is not much different. We dont live extravagantly but we do like to live comfortably.

Desc £'s per year dhs per year
Rent 26500 180000
utilities (elec, water, gas) 3500 24000
House Tax 5% (based on 180k) 1320 9000
ADSL 450 3000
Cable TV 530 3600
House and car insurance 440 3000
flights home toHeathrow 1000 7000
Petrol (based on 8 dhs per gallon) 1000 7000
House Shopping i.e food 8000 54500
health club 900 6000

anything else?????
thanks in advance
tiny

Have only managed a quick look because I'm not meant to be on here. Your car insurance is out. We have just reinsured our Prado and Rav4 and spent a total of AED10,000. It would be easier if you put your monthly figures into dirhams because not all of us are English (Thank God) (wanted to post laughing icon here but it doesn't seem to be working........maybe it doesn't think my joke is funny??) and don't know the value of the pound. If you mean Beach club, you're looking at closer to AED20,000. I pay 4000 a year for Fitness first. Phone, TV and internet connection is about 700 a month. Gotta go, kids will be late for school. Sorry, just realised first figures were pounds per year. As we all work in Dirhams per month, can you change it? Thanks. Good luck. Also, there are no apartments in Emirates Hills, just villas. On the plus side, if you're in an apartment, your utility bills will be way lower than 2000AED a month. I spend about 70AED a week on petrol with school runs, etc. DH spends around 400AED a month. Well done to you for researching so extensively. Sorry for the dog's dinner of a repy.

[Tiny]

Hi Flossie

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I've amended some of my figures to take into consideration your advice and also put them in DHS per month. I am aware this is all estimate but it gives me an idea.
and dont worry about the england comment....im from Scotland (though my hubbie is english...but i dont hold it against him )

Rent 15000
utilities (elec, water, gas) 1500
House Tax 5% (based on 180k) 750
Cable TV, phone, internet 708
UAE mobile phone 23
House and car insurance 417
flights home 583
Petrol 708
House Shopping i.e food 4542
Other cost of living 2500

Thanks everyone

[jocky1966]

Hello.

I was wondering if anyone can help me. I have been offered a position completely out of the blue with my existing company! I am really excited at the prospect of moving out to THE MIDDLE EAST.I have a wife and two kids aged 9&11.

I currently have a fairly senior position in the uk earning approx. £70k per year with all the bits car etc.

Can anyone tell me what I should be asking for in terms of package??

Any information would help!

Paul

[flossie]

Originally Posted by jocky1966

Hello.

I was wondering if anyone can help me. I have been offered a position completely out of the blue with my existing company! I am really excited at the prospect of moving out to THE MIDDLE EAST.I have a wife and two kids aged 9&11.

I currently have a fairly senior position in the uk earning approx. £70k per year with all the bits car etc.

Can anyone tell me what I should be asking for in terms of package??

Any information would help!

Paul

Could you give us some sort of indication what industry you are in, what country you are from and where your office would be. Ideally you would get car allowance, school fees paid, housing allowance (you would need min 250K dirhams for a 3 bedroom villa) and salary.

[silverrey]

Living is expensive and rising. Althought you have to see that we still live in Dubai, a place with no taxes as of yet.