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Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Hi all,
New to this group but have been reading some of the posts on here and find it extremely informative. Thanks all for taking the time to help each other! Quick context of my situation currently: My wife, daughter (infant) and I currently live in the UK. We're a young family - both early 30s, so hence looking to maximise time to explore other cultures whilst our daughter is still young. We've been discussing potentially moving to Dubai for a few years now and with the current state of affairs in the UK, we're thinking of perhaps aiming to move by 2021. Between us, we both earn a decent salary in the UK (pre-tax~150k between us) but clearly nothing to show for it at the end of the month ! Conscious Dubai is expensive too but hoping we'll perhaps have a better lifestyle there... even if it is only a stint for a few years. We've a house in the UK, so we could always potentially move back (looking to rent it whist we're there). I'm a qualified Management Accountant and work as a Finance professional within a Telecoms company (unfortunately not the banks where they pay big money!). I'm not sure at all what the first step is towards planning a move in 2021.. Ideally I was going to contact a few recruiters (any specific ones I need to contact?) and then ask them the Question based on my CV... as to what other skills I probably needed to find a well paying job in Dubai by the time we decide to move. Is there anything else we need to bear in mind or actively be doing please? P.S. Are we being naive in looking to move to Dubai as I've heard the economic climate isn't rosy there either despite the impending Expo... Many thanks in advance! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12667516)
..Between us, we both earn a decent salary in the UK (pre-tax~150k between us) but clearly nothing to show for it at the end of the month ! Conscious Dubai is expensive too but hoping we'll perhaps have a better lifestyle there...
Is London that expensive now ? I don't think being an accountant (Management or otherwise) is a high paying role in the Middle East due to the cheap(er) labor from the Asian countries - however im sure that someone in the industry will give a better account (no pun intended!) |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by UKCityGent
(Post 12667525)
Wow you have a combined income of GBP150k yet nothing to show at the end of the month but think that you will be able to save in Dubai ?
Is London that expensive now ? I don't think being an accountant (Management or otherwise) is a high paying role in the Middle East due to the cheap(er) labor from the Asian countries - however im sure that someone in the industry will give a better account (no pun intended!) |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
You're making a great salary in London so could choose to save money if you wanted to.
Jobs market here is tough at the moment. If you really want to do it then look for jobs on LinkedIn and the big portals, plus an agent or two. Likelihood is that one of you gets a job and then the other will start looking from here. So you or your wife will have to give up their job in the hope of finding something here but with no guarantees. That can be tough (we did the same and my wife hasn't worked 2 years now and is getting frustrated). One well paid job in Dubai could be enough to match you current after-tax salary. But outgoings will be much higher too so unless you both work you'll likely be worse off. p.s. I don't expect Expo to make any difference, except for some short term construction work. There's already huge overcapacity here and Expo will make it far worse. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12667532)
Yes, it is sadly :(. We live just outside actually but still quite pricey. Mortgage + Commuting costs x 2 (well into £££s) + Nursery fees + Car + Utilities + General expenses, and we're not looking at a lot left over! Sad fact is we don't even have an extravagant lifestyle to begin with!
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Why 2021? That’s some serious planning ahead. A CIMA accountant is pretty cheap here thanks to cima selling out to Sri Lanka. You need to be CFO to make the cash. Western CFO, Indian finance manager is (or was) the modus operandi but this has been changing to levant Arab/ Indian CFO and the usual mafia below. Salaries dropped with the change. 150k over two salaries is very decent (two sets of allowances etc) and better than a single person clocking 150k. London isn’t that expensive is it? |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by spouse of scouse
(Post 12667534)
Hi and welcome to BE. Just something that you may already be aware of, if you have a mortgage on your UK property and are going to rent it out you'd need to let your mortgage provider know. The usual scenario is that unless your mortgage agreement allows you to rent the property, you'll need to switch to a buy to let mortgage at a higher interest rate. Good luck with your plans.
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by dominoman
(Post 12667533)
You're making a great salary in London so could choose to save money if you wanted to.
Jobs market here is tough at the moment. If you really want to do it then look for jobs on LinkedIn and the big portals, plus an agent or two. Likelihood is that one of you gets a job and then the other will start looking from here. So you or your wife will have to give up their job in the hope of finding something here but with no guarantees. That can be tough (we did the same and my wife hasn't worked 2 years now and is getting frustrated). One well paid job in Dubai could be enough to match you current after-tax salary. But outgoings will be much higher too so unless you both work you'll likely be worse off. p.s. I don't expect Expo to make any difference, except for some short term construction work. There's already huge overcapacity here and Expo will make it far worse. Regarding my wife working, she'd be devastated if she can't! She's quite career-minded and so any plan to move there would involve her working as part of the equation too.. unless I earned 6 figures monthly and she can just chill by the pool....... so, in short, no, she'll work too!! :) Another reason why we really want to move there is because my brother and family lives there and he keeps asking us to move there, even if for a few years. Not sure how feasible it is though judging by all the comments! Dubai is no longer the paradise it once used to be I guess for expats! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12667566)
Why 2021? That’s some serious planning ahead. A CIMA accountant is pretty cheap here thanks to cima selling out to Sri Lanka. You need to be CFO to make the cash. Western CFO, Indian finance manager is (or was) the modus operandi but this has been changing to levant Arab/ Indian CFO and the usual mafia below. Salaries dropped with the change. 150k over two salaries is very decent (two sets of allowances etc) and better than a single person clocking 150k. London isn’t that expensive is it? We've got quite a lot friends and some family too in Dubai... another reason why we'd like to do a stint there when the kid (potentially kids by 2021!) are young.... In a dilemma as we know (and are grateful) that our combined pay in the UK is above average and good enough to have a decent lifestyle with a decent holiday in a year too... but we don't want to fall into that rat-race eternally until we know we've explored this option too... just to avoid any regrets in the future!! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12667572)
To be honest, we do save around £2k a month despite earning close to £8-9k between us, and we do not have a lavish lifestyle whatsoever. Fixed costs itself would be close to £5-6k/month with all the usual outgoings (house,car,travel,nursery etc). So I don't mind perhaps saving less than £2k in Dubai if that means we get to live comfortably in a nice house, nice location, good weather (!!!), etc...
Regarding my wife working, she'd be devastated if she can't! She's quite career-minded and so any plan to move there would involve her working as part of the equation too.. unless I earned 6 figures monthly and she can just chill by the pool....... so, in short, no, she'll work too!! :) Another reason why we really want to move there is because my brother and family lives there and he keeps asking us to move there, even if for a few years. Not sure how feasible it is though judging by all the comments! Dubai is no longer the paradise it once used to be I guess for expats! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Accountancy ? you will be competing with staff from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. How much do you suppose they earn at home ?
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by scot47
(Post 12667618)
Accountancy ? you will be competing with staff from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. How much do you suppose they earn at home ?
Clearly limiting my options I know! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
You will probably have a ‘better lifestyle’ here if you (or both of you) managed to secure a job as good as the one you got now in London. Apartments are much bigger here, weather is great most of the year and it’s very toddler/family friendly. Be careful not to get too sucked in though, for example if you don’t need a nanny don’t get one just because everyone else has. However if your wife will be working you will have no choice as schools here don’t have breakfast/after school clubs. Just be wary if one of you decides down the line that you want to move back, and other one wants to stay put after having had a taste of Dubai, then it’s a real dilemma take it from me :confused_smile: Make sure you discuss this in advance especially as you have a child/children. It only gets harder once they start school and you have to factor in expensive. school fees. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Lul37
(Post 12667680)
You will probably have a ‘better lifestyle’ here if you (or both of you) managed to secure a job as good as the one you got now in London. Apartments are much bigger here, weather is great most of the year and it’s very toddler/family friendly. Be careful not to get too sucked in though, for example if you don’t need a nanny don’t get one just because everyone else has. However if your wife will be working you will have no choice as schools here don’t have breakfast/after school clubs. Just be wary if one of you decides down the line that you want to move back, and other one wants to stay put after having had a taste of Dubai, then it’s a real dilemma take it from me :confused_smile: Make sure you discuss this in advance especially as you have a child/children. It only gets harder once they start school and you have to factor in expensive. school fees. Our key concerns are about finding those good jobs for both of us.. we don't even know where to start... And we are also conscious and willing to upskill ourselves over the next 24 months or so to give us the best chance to succeed over there.. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Moses2013
(Post 12667598)
It just sounds like you need a longer holiday. Why not just take more time off (career break) and explore Europe for a few months. You could just lease a motorhome and drive where the road takes you, maybe Greece?
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
If you have friends and family in Dubai then you need to be visiting. Spend a few weeks, take time to absorb the bigger picture. Maybe try and do some Chamber of Commerce meets or other networking. You'll be much better prepared with some first hand info. Reality vs the internet, not much of a comparison. You'll soon know if its a realistic expectation and desire.
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by martinbkk
(Post 12667928)
If you have friends and family in Dubai then you need to be visiting. Spend a few weeks, take time to absorb the bigger picture. Maybe try and do some Chamber of Commerce meets or other networking. You'll be much better prepared with some first hand info. Reality vs the internet, not much of a comparison. You'll soon know if its a realistic expectation and desire.
Many thanks! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12667998)
Sounds like a good idea. Will see if we can plan something and explore networking opportunities. Any recruitment agencies as well that you'd recommend I get in touch with - ones that perhaps deal with British expats specifically interested in moving to Dubai/UAE?
Many thanks! my guess is most of the people posting here (who are all long term expats) probably came here from the UK with an employer. Few showed up with a suitcase. I came here on the 2008 lifeboat and joined a client. I moved from a bank to a consultancy two years prior with this specific idea in mind. Again I already knew my new employee and had worked for them. Back in 2008 the labour market was very tight and people did try to recruit directly from the UK. Now this is not the case unless it's a very specific skill they are after (ie we recruited a CEO from the UK on a portfolio company but this is rare). |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12668022)
Those agencies don't really exisit...One question you need to think over is why are you better than someone who is already here?
my guess is most of the people posting here (who are all long term expats) probably came here from the UK with an employer. Few showed up with a suitcase. I came here on the 2008 lifeboat and joined a client. I moved from a bank to a consultancy two years prior with this specific idea in mind. Again I already knew my new employee and had worked for them. Back in 2008 the labour market was very tight and people did try to recruit directly from the UK. Now this is not the case unless it's a very specific skill they are after (ie we recruited a CEO from the UK on a portfolio company but this is rare). What do you have that hundreds of cheaper Asians don’t have? TBH, what they don’t have likely won’t compensate for the additional cost of hiring you. Hard, but fair... |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
I recently got job in Dubai from London through a recruiter who contacted me out of blue just because i applied for a different role a year ago. I think its not easy to get job remotely until l and unless your skills are in high demand. But that does not mean its impossible you have to keep trying again and again. If you are earning 150k and not saving then you will not save even if you are earning 200k. Remember Warren Buffet “Do not save what is left after spending; instead spend what is left after saving.”
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by ryanzz
(Post 12668594)
I recently got job in Dubai from London through a recruiter who contacted me out of blue just because i applied for a different role a year ago. I think its not easy to get job remotely until l and unless your skills are in high demand. But that does not mean its impossible you have to keep trying again and again. If you are earning 150k and not saving then you will not save even if you are earning 200k. Remember Warren Buffet “Do not save what is left after spending; instead spend what is left after saving.”
Thanks all for your suggestions, been very helpful! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12669593)
That's encouraging. It's less to do with saving, more to do with the quality of life really. Money doesn't go a long way here tbh! Although, I mustn't take for granted a lot of things too I'm aware...
Thanks all for your suggestions, been very helpful! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Lul37
(Post 12669604)
So would you rather have a better quality of life or have enough savings? Would you rather live the moment at Kite beach in Dubai or save for a rainy day in London? The two are mutually exclusive unfortunately. Moreover, we did the hard grind and saved up last several years, so touchwood, we've got something to show for it and to use on a rainy day (nothing major, couple of houses here but not in London obv, clearly couldn't afford that! ) I'm guessing if we earn around 50-60k between us (so say 30k per head which I think isn't overly ambitious) should still be decent enough to get by comfortably hopefully? Clearly, what I don't know is how realistic that is to achieve and how to go about it. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Ask about quality of life in July. Or during a sandstorm. Or better a sandstorm in July .
That said, it's better here. But not everyone sees it that way. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Lul37
(Post 12669604)
The two are mutually exclusive unfortunately. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Are you talking in pounds or in dirhams? And do you mean 60k yearly or monthly? It depends on what you consider a ‘good standard’ of living. Probably Millhouse would be better able to tell you how far 60k would go over here in Dubai :lol: and if you think that’s good enough for you, then definitely go for it if you’re not worried about savings. Our family income (2 adults, 2 school aged kids) is around 100k GBP per year and my partner is utterly depressed because he can’t save at all due to the high costs of living in Dubai (such as the school fees and rent). We have a mortgage in London and we aren’t paying enough to cover it. So if we had to downgrade we are better off living London -or so he says!!! |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12669614)
they really are not. Both are possible in Dubai and London.
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Lul37
(Post 12669615)
Are you talking in pounds or in dirhams? And do you mean 60k yearly or monthly? It depends on what you consider a ‘good standard’ of living. Probably Millhouse would be better able to tell you how far 60k would go over here in Dubai :lol: and if you think that’s good enough for you, then definitely go for it if you’re not worried about savings. Our family income (2 adults, 2 school aged kids) is around 100k GBP per year and my partner is utterly depressed because he can’t save at all due to the high costs of living in Dubai (such as the school fees and rent). We have a mortgage in London and we aren’t paying enough to cover it. So if we had to downgrade we are better off living London -or so he says!!! @ Millhouse - Would you say based on your experience, 30k per person salary is reasonably achievable? I know it's pretty subjective and vague, sorry, but just want to understand if that level of salary is average for someone coming from here etc.. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
See it from an employer's perspective " Why shoulkd I hire you when for a third of your salary i could hire a Filipino or Pakistani who would be just as competent and much more subservient ?"
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Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by scot47
(Post 12669632)
See it from an employer's perspective " Why shoulkd I hire you when for a third of your salary i could hire a Filipino or Pakistani who would be just as competent and much more subservient ?"
Alternatively , Charisma and Chutzpah? That'd seal the deal no? ;-) |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12669624)
I was referring to 60k dirhams per month, which would equate to around 150k GBP but obviously 150k gbp NET. To get that that kind of money in the UK, we would need to earn a lot lot more....
@ Millhouse - Would you say based on your experience, 30k per person salary is reasonably achievable? I know it's pretty subjective and vague, sorry, but just want to understand if that level of salary is average for someone coming from here etc.. Be careful of the EYs of this world. They pay terrible and would be in the 25k range.. You really need to come here and check the place out and do proper due diligence on opportunities and salaries, meet a few recruiters and buy a lot of people some coffee . |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12669980)
Im not that close to finance salaries and 'm guessing you're something like 8 years qualified.... 30 is achievable for sure if not even a bit short - maybe 35k-40k assuming it's a proper finance manager and not just advanced bean counter role.. One of our investee companies pays their finance manager / investor relations guy 40k. The CFO gets around 50k.. We did not regard those salaries as out of market.
Be careful of the EYs of this world. They pay terrible and would be in the 25k range.. You really need to come here and check the place out and do proper due diligence on opportunities and salaries, meet a few recruiters and buy a lot of people some coffee . |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Millhouse
(Post 12669612)
Ask about quality of life in July. Or during a sandstorm. Or better a sandstorm in July .
That said, it's better here. But not everyone sees it that way.
Originally Posted by pratt123
(Post 12669654)
International experience in FTSE 100 companies?
Alternatively , Charisma and Chutzpah? That'd seal the deal no? ;-) 10 points if you can get a Jewish word like that into an interview here. |
Re: Looking to relocate to Dubai for a few years
Originally Posted by Scamp
(Post 12670446)
Quality of life here is light years ahead of the likes of London.
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