PennyG

Hi

My partner has been offered a job in Abu Dhabi.

Has anybody moved to Abu Dhabi and regretted the move? If so, why?

Many thanks for your time.

Penny

arbroath_abroad

i live there and prefer it to Dubai...

I regret not getting paid enough......

PennyG

Hi

Do you enjoy living there? What sort of income do you need for a good lifestyle?

Many thanks

arbroath_abroad

not being funny, but there are tonnes of threads on this....Dubai and AD costs the same more or less...

yea you need a chunk full of cash

PennyG

Thanks. I'll have a nosy around to see what I can find.

arbroath_abroad

yea, you will find loads on recent threads, there seems to be a lot of people looking to move....

Its all about the PACKAGE

PennyG

I think the package is okay, seems to cover everything. Guess its just a case of getting out there and seeing how it goes. I dont fancy being a house wife though, just need to find myself a job...

benzonar

I will also be heading out soon, May to be exact.

The biggest headache you will have, and the one that may dishearten you initially is finding somewhere to live.

Luckily for me my employer told me today that they are about to sign up a load of apartments in a very nice new block so will have the choice of those or allowance.

My future OH is looking forward to being a housewife, looking after the cats and her collection of orchids. Horses for courses as they say.

Sam FTQ

Please do not let horror stories about the housing situation put you off moving to Abu Dhabi. There is a shortage of housing, but it is not nearly as bad as people will have you believe. In my first week of living here, I was shown loads of apartments by our local estate agent (happy to give you contact details). Most of them were lovely, and within my budget, the trick is to make up your mind on the spot, as they may not be available if you dither for too long.

The other myth is that housing here is comparatively expensive. It’s not. Unless you come from Cleethorpes. Rents here are on a par with rents in London, but you get a lot more for your money here.

As an example, I rent out my apartment in Canary Wharf for almost the same as I pay (well, my company pays) for my apartment in Abu Dhabi. My apartment in Canary Wharf has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, tiny kitchen, tiny balcony. By comparison, my apartment in Abu Dhabi was 4 massive bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, a fabulous kitchen, huge lounge and dining room, massive balcony, laundry, maid’s room, and a breathtaking view over the Persian Gulf.

And no, I don’t have any regrets about moving here.

Madam Medusa

penny, you really need to visit for yourself...abu dhabi is much quieter than dubai, for example, and some people i know left cos they found it boring, whilst others seem to love it there...it depends what you are looking for...

MM, xx

MataHari

yup...totally agree...a visit, even if it's only for a weekend will give you a feel of the place...most people that have never been to the UAE are surprised to see what it is really like...

shakh your bootie

Counter to the "boring abu dhabi" argument is that Abu Dhabi is the New Dubai.... There's so much happening in development and more and more new people arriving to execute all these megaprojects...

{but yeah, at the moment the nightlife sucks..... Give it a year}

andrewpops

Just as a matter of interest - how much was your budget?

Sam FTQ

My budget was 200, but I got my place for 180.

arbroath_abroad

there is a massive difference in availability of suitable villa's and apartments...We really struggled to get a villa substantial to our needs. The one we really wanted (only a 3 bedroom in Seashores) was raised to 315,000AED which was just plain stupid..

Eventually we have a great place in KCA for a lot less than that..

Apartments are quite easy to find in AD, villa's not so...


regrets, none, but i have only moved from Dubai and i have family there so weekends can be spent there if we wish.