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AC in UAE
hi. I have been offered a two year teaching contract somewhere in UAE in April. With this limited information I'm trying to get as much financial info ahead of time so I can do some budgeting. I'll probably have a few questions, but the one currently I'm thnking about is how much , roughly, are people spendIng per month on air con. Let's say one of summer the months when it I see on pretty much the whole time. Just a ball park figure. I am single so we are talking about an apartment or flat. Are there any other large ' surprise ' outgoings you were not prepared for that I should think about. Im thinking of doing a short lease for a couple for months, just to make sure I like it , before committing to the yearly rent thing. Did others do this? Thanks on advance |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Mickonz
(Post 12633774)
hi. I have been offered a two year teaching contract somewhere in UAE in April. With this limited information I'm trying to get as much financial info ahead of time so I can do some budgeting. I'll probably have a few questions, but the one currently I'm thnking about is how much , roughly, are people spendIng per month on air con. Let's say one of summer the months when it I see on pretty much the whole time. Just a ball park figure. I am single so we are talking about an apartment or flat. Are there any other large ' surprise ' outgoings you were not prepared for that I should think about. Im thinking of doing a short lease for a couple for months, just to make sure I like it , before committing to the yearly rent thing. Did others do this? Thanks on advance AC for 1 bed flat set on penguin mode is no more than 500dh a month. Some places have it included in the rent. Short term makes sense if you have the heebie jeebies. but you'll probably hate the first few months anyway, especially if you come late April. |
Re: AC in UAE
thanks millhouse , its roughly 280 000 dm pa. But my accomadadtion comes out of that. It's as a lead trainer in a cluster of state schools. I want to save as much as I can though. why do you think I will hate it from April. The heat? or something else? Bests |
Re: AC in UAE
Just get a chiller free apartment, meaning the AC is part of the building's internal systems and paid for by the landlord or building owner rather than metered separately per unit. I always lived in chiller free apartments in Dubai and I'm sure it saved me a fortune over the years.
If you're in a district cooling system where every unit is separately metered for ac usage then expect around 500 a month for a 1-bedroom. I think there's two charges, a basic fee you always pay regardless of whether the ac is in use or not (winter versus summer) and the actual usage. Just pay attention to whether the building is chiller free or not. Most of the Marina is chiller free, but some buildings aren't. Greens is chiller free. Downtown is mostly free, but some of the newer towers aren't. JLT is all district cooling. I never understood why people would pay chiller charges when they could get basically the same apartment just in a different area 500 meters down the road and not pay a penny. For example, Marina is technically more expensive than JLT, which is right next to it, but once you factor in the cooling charges versus free in the Marina, you're not really saving much money choosing JLT over the Marina. (Not that I'd live in the Marina anyway). Welcome to Dubai. Just be aware it's incredibly hot between May-October. It's not bad after you get used to it but the peak summer months can be grinding. |
Re: AC in UAE
Thanks a million. Came on here to alleviate some anxiety but millhouse , your comment about hating it ( I'm assuming the summer months) has really cranked it up. Hahahahaha. Particularly with Ramadan in May. So what advice would you give to a newbie coming over during this time tim acclimatise and survive. What do you do in the summer months to mitigate the grind? |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Mickonz
(Post 12634080)
Thanks a million. Came on here to alleviate some anxiety but millhouse , your comment about hating it ( I'm assuming the summer months) has really cranked it up. Hahahahaha. Particularly with Ramadan in May. So what advice would you give to a newbie coming over during this time tim acclimatise and survive. What do you do in the summer months to mitigate the grind? The 12mths feelings are : 1-3 mths: i love this place but I need to find some mates. 3-6mths: wow. This place is just awesome and I’ve met some amazing mates. 6-9mths: I’ve realised all my mates are ***** and I want to go home. 9-12mths: actually it’s alright. I’m getting used to this place. I’ll stay another year. take note of the 6-9mth hump. The post about AC is spot on - but as a teacher you may not get a choice on accommodation but AC charges are not that high for a one bed. The first summer is shite but you get used to them - I actually look forward to them now as I just embrace a summer life vs my winter life. It’s all about finding a routine. a typical summer day for me is: gym, work, cooking/TV - same as my winter. The weekends are the hard part - for me that becomes, pool In the morning, long lunches and evening runs. I don’t let summer stop anything - it just changes the time I do things. |
Re: AC in UAE
AC cost is your number one concern?
I'm not being rude, but you must have more questions than this? |
Re: AC in UAE
I love Ramadan. Early finishes means i can get the gym, use the pool and still be home in time for tea
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Re: AC in UAE
Is your employer the state system directly, or a private company who has been contracted to work in the schools? If it's the former you should get housing assigned to you for free, not deducted from your pay, and there is some room for negotiation provided you choose a place that fits in under their cap (you don't get to keep the excess if you come in below the cap). If it's a private contractor, anything goes. But 280,000 pa with housing potentially being deducted from that, is not a great package. What are you on in the UK? Good luck.
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Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Scamp
(Post 12634973)
AC cost is your number one concern?
I'm not being rude, but you must have more questions than this? |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Scamp
(Post 12634973)
AC cost is your number one concern?
I'm not being rude, but you must have more questions than this? Out of all the possible questions you have, AC was the first one that came to mind? I cant wait for the 2nd one.. How much are Jaffa Cakes? |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by TGFKASE
(Post 12635383)
This...
Out of all the possible questions you have, AC was the first one that came to mind? I cant wait for the 2nd one.. How much are Jaffa Cakes? |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Scamp
(Post 12635427)
Depends, are they exempt from VAT?
Its a cake, tho..... |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by TGFKASE
(Post 12635436)
Not that I want to re-open the Jaffa cakes: United Biscuits (LON/91/0160) case...
Its a cake, tho..... |
Re: AC in UAE
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12635443)
Could you imagine that debate in the UAE... making the case in Arabic |
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