[bilberryhill]

Hi everyone,

Almost certainly moving out to Dubai later this year with the wife and just wanted to know some specific costs if anyone would be so kind. I know there are any number of threads on here about cost of living but I was looking for specifics to these outgoings if you know?

1. monthly electricity bill for average consumption
2. takeaway meal for two (KFC-type thing)
3. a fill up with petrol
4. two course meal at a local restaurant
5. two course meal and bottle of house wine at good hotel restaurant
6. monthly A/C (not left on all day, just when needed!)
7. trip to the cinema-2 tickets and drink, snack
8. a decent second-hand 4x4 in good condition
9. a decent bike-new or second-hand
10. local grocery shopping for two - just essentials like rice, fruit, chicken, nothing too fancy

Thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to reply

Marco

 

[Gavtek]

Hi everyone,

Almost certainly moving out to Dubai later this year with the wife and just wanted to know some specific costs if anyone would be so kind. I know there are any number of threads on here about cost of living but I was looking for specifics to these outgoings if you know?

1. monthly electricity bill for average consumption - ~750 Dhs for 2 bedroom apartment
2. takeaway meal for two (KFC-type thing) - 50 Dhs
3. a fill up with petrol - 70 Dhs
4. two course meal at a local restaurant - 85 Dhs
5. two course meal and bottle of house wine at good hotel restaurant - 200 Dhs
6. monthly A/C (not left on all day, just when needed!) - Included in electricty bill (I think, mine is anyway)
7. trip to the cinema-2 tickets and drink, snack - 80 Dhs
8. a decent second-hand 4x4 in good condition - 90k Dhs
9. a decent bike-new or second-hand - 50k Dhs
10. local grocery shopping for two - just essentials like rice, fruit, chicken, nothing too fancy - 350 Dhs per week

Thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to reply

Marco

I'd imagine some people will agree/disagree with what I've put but it should give you a rough idea. Most things are comparable with the UK, groceries, fast food and petrol are cheaper but alcohol is much more expensive.

 

[bilberryhill]

I'd imagine some people will agree/disagree with what I've put but it should give you a rough idea. Most things are comparable with the UK, groceries, fast food and petrol are cheaper but alcohol is much more expensive.

Thanks Gav - That is brilliant - thank you for your help, really useful info which helps me to work out my basic costs. Just one thing, when i said 'bike' i meant road/mountain bike rather than motorbike. The car cost seems quite high to me. Does anyone know if renting a car is a possibility in Dubai and how much that'd cost compared to say a 2 or 3 year finance deal?

 

[Gavtek]

In that case, I'm nto sure about the cost of the bike, but I'd imagine it would be comparable with UK prices.

The amount I put down for a second hand 4x4 was more for a premium brand a year or two old. There are much cheaper ones available. For example, you can get a 2007 Ford Explorer for 70k.

Renting/Leasing cars is very common in Dubai but will be much more expensive than taking out finance over 3 years.

 

[Helios]

How do you manage to have 750dhs monthly Dewa bill for a 2BR apartment, are you leaving all lights and AC on when you leave ?

 

[Gavtek]

It's actually closer to 1000 Dhs but includes a 'housing fee' which I believe is some sort of housing tax. But yeah, AC is on 24/7.

 

[Helios]

OK, now it is clear I was surprised as I'm getting around 200AED bills for a 2BR but I just checked and there's no housing fee included and me and my wife are extremely careful not to waste electricity and water

 

[SBP]

Hi everyone,

Almost certainly moving out to Dubai later this year with the wife and just wanted to know some specific costs if anyone would be so kind. I know there are any number of threads on here about cost of living but I was looking for specifics to these outgoings if you know?

1. monthly electricity bill for average consumption
2. takeaway meal for two (KFC-type thing)
3. a fill up with petrol
4. two course meal at a local restaurant
5. two course meal and bottle of house wine at good hotel restaurant
6. monthly A/C (not left on all day, just when needed!)
7. trip to the cinema-2 tickets and drink, snack
8. a decent second-hand 4x4 in good condition
9. a decent bike-new or second-hand
10. local grocery shopping for two - just essentials like rice, fruit, chicken, nothing too fancy

Thanks in advance to anyone who bothers to reply

Marco

Hi if you PM me I can send you a spreadsheet with basics on it from a TEFL website I used to be registered with

 

[Elphaba]

It's actually closer to 1000 Dhs but includes a 'housing fee' which I believe is some sort of housing tax. But yeah, AC is on 24/7.

That still sounds awfully expensive. I used to have a large 2 bed apartment and worked from home, but my bills were never more than AED 350 even in the height of summer.

Over the winter months we have paid less than you are for a large four bed villa with garden.

-

 

[bilberryhill]

knew i'd forgotten some things, anyone help with these:

1. decent TV and internet package - nothing too snazzy, just some basic channels in english and net for emails and skype, not gaming etc

2. mobile phone cheap contract

Thanks

 

[rsinner]

knew i'd forgotten some things, anyone help with these:

1. decent TV and internet package - nothing too snazzy, just some basic channels in english and net for emails and skype, not gaming etc - the Showtime Premium package is c. 240 Dhs and a 2 MBPS connection is c. 350 Dhs

2. mobile phone cheap contractYou can get a cheap pay as you go connection for 50 Dhs one time. In general Du has more offers and cheaper call rates than Etisalat. Check their website for rates. Obviously what you pay for a pay as u go or a post paid will depend on your usage

Thanks

Answers above

 

[bilberryhill]

thanks again - you guys on this forum have been really helpful I now have a really good idea of average monthly outgoings. Just one last question (or two!)

1. Is there a charge for water rates and any sort of council tax in Dubai? if so how much for a 2 bed apt?

2. Have I forgotten to take into account any monthly costs?

Thanks again and I reckon i've virtually made the decision that we are coming to Dubai in august (i know its hot then!)

 

[SBP]

thanks again - you guys on this forum have been really helpful I now have a really good idea of average monthly outgoings. Just one last question (or two!)

1. Is there a charge for water rates and any sort of council tax in Dubai? if so how much for a 2 bed apt?

2. Have I forgotten to take into account any monthly costs?

Thanks again and I reckon i've virtually made the decision that we are coming to Dubai in august (i know its hot then!)

If that is DEWA I think it is about 5% of rent? Do a thread search on DEWA and see what comes up.

You need to alloow for speeding fines, parking, fines and other fines that magically appear apparently

 

[Metaphysical1]

Hello from Meta, again!

Hi if you PM me I can send you a spreadsheet with basics on it from a TEFL website I used to be registered with

Could you please send me the same information? Not sure how to "PM" you, though. Thanks, you are a wealth of information!

 

[SBP]

Could you please send me the same information? Not sure how to "PM" you, though. Thanks, you are a wealth of information!

Click on my SBP bit and there should be a screen to PM me, give me your email addy and I can send it over

 

[Dannysigma]

Thanks Gav - That is brilliant - thank you for your help, really useful info which helps me to work out my basic costs. Just one thing, when i said 'bike' i meant road/mountain bike rather than motorbike. The car cost seems quite high to me. Does anyone know if renting a car is a possibility in Dubai and how much that'd cost compared to say a 2 or 3 year finance deal?

Car rental starts at about 1500AED for a 1.3 Lancer manual. The same amount will get you quite a lot more in terms of a financed car, but you will have to pay for insurance and servicing (minor service every 5000km, major ever 10,000km due to extreme conditions). The 4x4 motors website (google 4x4 motors dubai) has a useful payment calculator (current car finance interest is around 6%) though their cars are quite expensive for what they are.

 

[Elphaba]

thanks again - you guys on this forum have been really helpful I now have a really good idea of average monthly outgoings. Just one last question (or two!)

1. Is there a charge for water rates and any sort of council tax in Dubai? if so how much for a 2 bed apt?

2. Have I forgotten to take into account any monthly costs?

Thanks again and I reckon i've virtually made the decision that we are coming to Dubai in august (i know its hot then!)

Be warned that Ramadan starts in mid-August and everything will slow down for a month (not to mention all the other restrictions) so you will find it much harder and slower to get things sorted than usual.

-

 

[w_man]

Click on my SBP bit and there should be a screen to PM me, give me your email addy and I can send it over

Hmm - hate to be a noob but I searched everywhere and am not able to send a PM - I tried going through the FAQ and log in to my PM folders and it said that I don't have the correct rights - does an administrator have to allow PM capabilities? Is there a certain time restriction from the date of join etc?

Either way, I was hoping to get this spreadsheet as well - I am currently entertaining an offer from my company to move to Dubai in Jan 2011 and will be visiting Dubai in Oct to check the place out - Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[SBP]

Hmm - hate to be a noob but I searched everywhere and am not able to send a PM - I tried going through the FAQ and log in to my PM folders and it said that I don't have the correct rights - does an administrator have to allow PM capabilities? Is there a certain time restriction from the date of join etc?

Either way, I was hoping to get this spreadsheet as well - I am currently entertaining an offer from my company to move to Dubai in Jan 2011 and will be visiting Dubai in Oct to check the place out - Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

You need to post 4 or 5 times and then you can PM

 

[w_man]

lol .. ok .. let me post a couple more replies and I'll PM you my email address