Nfly878

Hi everyone, new on here and have a huge desicion on my hands. I've been offered a job which is based in Abu Dhabi but has locations all over the UAE. They are offering me around 23,600 AED per month, no housing although they will provide an interest free loan for rent, no schooling. My wife has been offered a job also which will bring our combined wage to 36000 AED per month. We have 2 children one infant and one 4 year old. I must stress that we do not wish to live a rock n roll lifestyle, we just want to pay off our mortgage in the UK and save money over a period of time.
We have found decent housing at the 80K per year mark.

Is this amount of money enough to do this?

I appreciate this question must be asked all the time but you guys out there are our link so any help or advice is greatly appreciated.

Ronnie Biggs

It's doable but it's very tight. Without schooling or housing you could live on your combined income but I don't see your mortgage being paid off any time soon. Don't fall into the trap of converting your salary into GBP - this place will suck money from your pocket and the cost of living is just not comparable. My advice would be to renegotiate. Coming here without at least your housing paid would be a bad start in my opinion....

scrubbedexpat141

^ This is good advice.

If you get your housing paid for, you'll be a lot more comfortable. Even schools fees instead (35,000 a year +)

Meow

What do you do?

For a family with two children it isn't much and you'd spend half your annual salaries on rent and school fees. You really won't be able to save much on that.

Decent housing for four, in AD, for AED 80k a year?? Really? Where/what is it?

Fossildog

You can get two bed villas in Al Reef for around the 85k mark.

britexpat76

They have 2 kids............

Fossildog

Ah right, assuming boy and girl then maybe a two bed would not be suitable.

You can get dodgy 3 bed flats in tourist club for less than 80k as long as you don't mind living next dor to a flat with 10 people living in it who all keep 'strange hours'

mission

aed 36k for a family of four with NO housing allowance or school fees included - you will definitely be struggling.

rowell

Good advice, with a combined income of 36k it is doable but very very tight, especially as most of your wife's income would go on child minding and nursery, they are by expensive here to get the right ones(loads of cheap child minding but couldn't trust them with a doll). I know it's sometimes difficult to comprehend when you convert. The dhs into pounds but cost of living is unbelievably high and school/nursery fees extortionate, you would probably end up paying both once the 4 year old is school age. Have a look at the cost breakdowns in the wiki and other posts, this will give your better idea.