El-Aurens

Question I am pondering right now...

Riyadh folks: How much of a salary cut would you accept to move from Riyadh to Dubai

Dubai folks: How much of a salary raise would you expect to convince you to move from Dubai to Riyadh.

Assume everything else same such as positon etc.

norsk

Not a simple and straightforward answer I'm afraid.

I would probably ask for 25-30% increase to go from Dubai to Riyadh, but wouldn't necessarily accept a cut to go the other way. Dubai is just not that great!

Johnnyboy11

Depends if your family are in tow, where Dubai has significant advantages.

Otherwise, if you are on your own, the two locations are 'cheeks of the same ar5e' and you should pitch your salary package expectations accordingly.

Victor Meldrew

I have lived in both.

Because I get a rent allowance in Dubai and can keep any excess, I earn the same (in fact more) than I did in Riyadh. In Riyadh I was given an apartment and could not take a rent allowance.

Riyadh - pros - it was a great community lifestyle, great friendships, real people. Cons - lack of freedom and potential risk.

Dubai - pros - socially everything young people might want, good infrastucture, good salary. Cons - soulless and too many shallow plastic people

scrubbedexpat141

My favourite conversation with candidates is this at the moment.

Very funny indeed and always a good laugh.

norsk

your job sounds like a cracker...

scrubbedexpat141

Honestly, it's not.

Imagine talking to yourself and telling yourself that you should probably be prepared to take a cut in cash to NOT have to live / work in a shithole. Fundamentally, you get it, you know why, you understand, but agreeing to less money? The person telling you this must be completely mental.

nonthaburi

This probably sounds warped, but knowing what I know now about the place, I would be prepared to go from D to R on the same or less money, based on the fact that I would be saving a lot more.
There really isn't that much to spend your money on here whereas in Dubai there is. The most expensive drink I've ever bought here has been 20 SAR.

Bad Leg

I've just relocated to Riyadh from Qatar and I'm often in Abu Dhabi as well. My salary is far larger here than Qatar/UAE but you pay the price. It's a dull city and I don't live on a compound. Drink? What???? Where? I came here with the intention of making money, not spending it on an expensive rental (outrageous prices) and Dubai teases with luxury items and activities. If you're mature and single and have a multi-exit permit then Riyadh is a great destination for saving money. It's dull but cheap.

nonthaburi

Give it time, Riyadh is a party town.

admittedly our kids are a bit older now, but we go out far more at the weekends to parties etc than we did in Sin City AKA Bangkok, which was our last port of call.

I probably drink more here too.

Bored_in_Riyadh

Just relocated from Riyadh to Dubai. Compound life in Riyadh was very social and no shortage of parties and home brew but it can be a bit of a prison. We had a few Mormons move on compound who went mental about the parties etc and threatened the compound management with calling in the muttawa and police etc.
As a woman it can also get tiring wearing the abbaya to go out anywhere and obviously can't drive (why would you want to given the accident rate).
Dubai has a lot more freedom but I would agree with the comments on plastic people, our neighbours here don't want to engage in conversation.
Cost of living higher in Dubai but out of the 2 I would still take Dubai for freedom, safety and ease of access.

Debowing

I have been in Muscat for about 7 months now, after relocating from UAE (Fujairah)...
I have been to Dubai for weekend a couple of weeks ago, it feels wonderful there, but the crowds are just too much...I wouldn't know about Riyadh, but I guess it would be very very dull and lifeless...