davejones

some people must be on serious dosh over there to live the lifestyle you keep hearing about back here. Villas, flash cars, flash clothes etc

mikewot

Don't believe all you read. There were some people on serious feather bed packages but they're very much the exception post crash. Although you do get more for hardship posts like KSA. Dubai is nothing like KSA.

davejones

well either way it looks like we can just live of my wage with no saving, pension and minimal social life which is unfortunate as i was excited by the prospect of moving

I really would have thought this package would be good enough to sustain a better lifestyle than the UK.

Maybe the wife will have to work

Millhouse

This is the key point.

You may have doubled your salary, but you lost hers. 36k a month all in (i.e 70k GBP a year) does not compare to the life a 70k dual income in the UK could buy -- A dual UK income also means a dual tax allowance. 70k dual is probably something like 90k single.

So - get the misses in a job and you'll be printing the cash. Don't and I think you will be worse off than you are now. There we have it - the definite answer from millhouse.

Millhouse

I love this analysis. I remember being in the top 1% of earners when I was about 25. Total shocker - I don't know how people do it.

expathopeful

Im fairly new to all this myself but heres my opinion:

Your monthly salary includes your housing so that to me means your potential move would have big start up costs. For example, my offer is a lot less than yours, but I had a separate housing allowance which also included a one off allowance to furnish the house. They also pay for connection of all gas, electric etc.

Landlords out here want payment for rent in one, two or sometimes you can negotiate 4 payments. You cant do it on a monthly basis, which means youre going to have to have a wedge saved up to come out here and set up if you are house proud and will want to furnish your house to a good standard.

If I had your offer, even though the salary is better, I would not have been able to take it as I wouldnt have been able to afford the deposits, annual rent, agent fees and kit the place out in the first month or so.

Any chance of negotiating for a housing allowance?

davejones

Hi

They have given me a relocation allowance and will pay my housing allowance all up front in my first pay cheque so that i can pay my rent in full with 1 cheque. I am also in a hotel for the first month so setting up costs etc are not an issue.


so if you take my housing allowance out of my total pay i believe i am left with in an around 26,000. Say 20,000 if we go for a really nice place and i pay the uplift.

Can you live on 20,000 a month if we had 2 kids as well?

Mogs

Yes you can live on it without a problem. Food shopping will probably cost about 3,000 per month. Your electric/water bill will be up to (and possibly more than) 2,000 in the summer when the a/c is never off - around 500 per month when the a/c is not required.

Problem will be when your kids start nursery / school - fees are around 40,000 AED each per year (split into 3 terms per year payable at the beginning of each term).

davejones

as mentioned my work will pay 85% and my wife will look after the kids until they start school. i would like to think in 4 years i will have progressed and have a decent salary increase to cover this extra cost.

It still looks like it will be tight but thinking i would much prefer my kids to grow up here than in glasgow

Mogs

If the choice is Abu Dhabi or Glasgow, then its not really that hard a choice is it ?

scrubbedexpat141

My basic (no commission) is a little more than this and I pay my accommodation out of it.

I have no kids, like you at the moment (don't forget that you'll probably get payrises before sporgs arrive)....and I can save money every month if I want to.

The problem is that the bags in Dunhill are just beautiful, Booking.com keep emailing me about the Banyan Tree in Koh Samui and I can't stop buying polo shirts in Paul Smith....

Millhouse

edit - just realised no kids. Go for it mate, it will be fine. You'll have a good life on that.

But -- why would the wife not be working if there re no kids to look after? She'll go slowly insane. Imagine something like the polar bear in london zoo walking around in circles all day: that will be your wife, but holding a duster.

scrubbedexpat141

I'm waiting for the cost of a maid to come up.

Non working wife, no kids, maid needed. He's going to fit right in.

flares

Half price sales soon in Dunhill and Paul Smith

and Mandarina Duck is just up the escalators at Dubai Mall.

Looking forward to my annual splurge.

and back on topic - it is fine for Abu D. Best Middle East posting in my opinion. Fair amount going on. Dubai just an hour away. No need to pay mega-bucks for a compound spot. Join the (British) Club - f&b top notch and a fraction of hotel outlets.

commander

Russians wear flash clothes, and still look like *****. I'm an average Scottish punter and get an okay salary, nothing fancy and don't drive a flash car, don't spend my time hanging around boudoir or wherever the **** the Dubai plebs hangout nowadays.

Serious dosh, fancy lifestyle?

Nope, I'd say it's pretty normal. I get up, train, work, train, eat, sleep and repeat. Throw in the odd brunch and dinner and a few pints...

Don't believe all the crap banded around the UK about the average expat. These journalists focus on the extreme edge of cuntery.