Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Dear all,
My first post and I have been reading with interest the posts on Dubai. Please forgive me in advance for my ramblings but......

I have been offered a relocation from my company to Dubai starting in Sept for 5 years and I have visited Dubai with my family back in Feb. The conclusion by the family (wife and 8 year old daughter) was the following:

Advantages:

-climate in the winter
-can live a good standard of living (if you have enough money!)
-More westernised than other parts of the Middle East
-Good Shopping (wife's observation not mine)
-Cars and petrol cheap
-Very safe for kids
-schools good
-Tax free (mostly)

Obviously it seems that with the Dubai Strategy of aiming to be the tourist capital of the world that everything you could want leisure wise is either available or will be available in the next few years???

Disadvantages:

-climate in the summer
-traffic and standard of driving
-the constant contruction


Is this a fair summary for people that live in Dubai or is this more of a tourist view????

My company will be paying for my accomodation up to a max of AED350k a year, schooling, health and relocation costs. Then my proposed salary will be AED30,250 per month. In your experience can me and my family really enjoy living in Dubai on this package????

Also any other info you can point out to me with regards to schools, areas for accomodation or general pro's and con's would be great.


Thanks to all
DUX

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

all sounds pretty spot on...package looks good...

as for the summer weather, i really think people make much more of a fuss about it than is necessary. Yeah, it's hot and sticky, but it's no worse than being in the uk when it is blowing a gale and peeing down...everywhere is air conditioned and it's not like you can't go out at all...

traffic is bad, but i've never really found it any worse than london, and the standard of driving is terrible, but you get used to it and it is certainly not a reason not to come here...

as for areas to live, it depends on where you will be working...

MM, xx

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

In your experience can me and my family really enjoy living in Dubai on this package???? - That kind of question always ends up in a fight on here... because its so subjective... Depends what you are going to spend all your disposable income on....

Also any other info you can point out to me with regards to schools, areas for accomodation - If you give an idea of where you will be based for work, you will get a response on this....

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Thanks MM for the encouraging info.

I will be working in the Airport Free Zone but I am used to sitting in traffic (currently 1hr 45 mins each way on the M25) I was thinking that the area for living would be more dictated by the school we choose??
DUX

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Sorry don't want to cause a fight on my first day. I suppose a more structured question would be:

Could I, with an 8 year old daughter live a better life in Dubai than at home? We like to eat out, swim, travel, cinema, parks, and have the odd luxury.

I current spend a lot of my working week travelling throughout Europe and see very little of the family during the week. The new job in Dubai would give us more family time together but I want to make sure we can make the most of it.
How has your spare time changed (if at all) since your move? for the better or for the worse?

DUX

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

You could do worse than live in Garhoud...15 minutes from the Dubai Airport Free Zone and similar from Dubai Festival City, Deira City Centre with the Irish Village on your doorstep. You have a pretty good package too.

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Package is pretty good. My better half works in the Airport Freezone, we live in the Old Town behind Burj Dubai and her commute is surprisingly good going via Business Bay unless of course their is an accident but that's the same anywhere in the world. People she works with live out in Emirates Hills, Arabian Ranches (quite a long way out) and this is mainly against the flow of traffic.

However we are new so i'm sure other people's views are much more educated.

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

I am with MM on this, it all sounds good, I am sure that you and your family will enjoy Dubai.
Don't worry about the summer, it is not that bad.....
a/c house to a/c car to a/c Mall or restaurant or bar etc..back to a/c car to a/c house :D
I don't have any of the "little people" but everybody suggests that you live as close to your chosen school as poss, less stress in the traffic for your wife and more shopping time for her too!
Personally I like Al Barsha and Jumeirah area for living, and on your housing allowance you could get a nice 4/5 bedroom stand alone villa in Al Barsha with pool for that money!:)

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

I agree both are good area's but for me Jumeriah wins hands down, your only 5 minutes from the beach (Big plus for kids)

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

hell yeah...jumeirah every time...!!

MM, xx

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

I am moving to Dubai in 2 weeks but i have visited Dubai on many occassions since 1999 i am also fortunate enough to already own some properties in Dubai so on a whole i know how the system works, your daughter / wife will love it, anyway there are plenty of others who would love to have that decision, my colleague who is sitting next to me in the office say's ' If you dont want i will go in your place ' Ha Ha Ha.............

Do it you wont regret it, & as a previous person commented summer wise it's similar to the Uk in winter you go from a heated house - heated car - heated office. Air Con - Car.............:thumbsup:

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

I've been looking for work their now for a few months and have indeed turned offers down because the packages didn't stack up. That is one seriously good package! No hesitation if it was me. Drivers are mad yeah, but the benefits outway the negatives.

Go for it and ENJOY! Hopefully I won't be far behind you if I can get the right package.

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Thanks to all for the comments they are really encouraging. Hopefully I will be there from Sept and looking forward to enjoying Dubai.:D

DUX

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

Mega jealous!!:thumbup:

Re: Relocating to Dubai with family
 

If I have any jobs going I will let you know!