punky7

Hi,

I am moving to Abu dhabi in 6 weeks. Please can anyone help with any of the following?...

I am looking to rent a flat or apartment, 1 bedroom is fine prefferably 2 bedrooms. How much will i look at paying? (GBP or AED) Is gas, electric etc... already included?

Am i best of renting in Abu Dhabi City or a surrounding area? What surrounding areas are best? bearing in mind i will not be driving and will need to get a taxi or walk.

When i get settled i will need the Internet. How do i get this set up? is there a local supplier? Can i use my UK laptop in Abu Dhabi? Will i need a power converter?

I will also want to watch UK TV. Is this already viewable or do i need to set something up? If so what do i need to do?

Please any help will be great.

Dan

Grace O Malley

If you are not going to drive and cab it, where you work will determine where you live.

oh and welcome

csdf

For a two-bed apartment in Khalidiyah / TCA etc you're looking at 140-200k dhs. Utilities are not included.

Depends where you work. Taxis are everywhere down-town, and very cheap. Rents are cheaper the closer you get to the airport, but the downside is that you're further away from the city and amenities are fewer.
Etisalat provides internet. You have to visit an Etisalat office and arrange the setup. UK laptops work fine - the plugs are the same as in the uk.
If you're happy with their internet view-on-demand services, then you need to set yourself up with a VPN supplier. Certain English-language channels are available via satellite but not the same ones as you get in the UK.

punky7

Hey,

Thanks for the reply.

I will eventually be looking into driving but not for a good few months. I dont mind getting a taxi but abviously depends on the price.

How much would a 20min journey cost on average would you say?

Dan

weescot

welcome to BE and the board punky7.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Order this book - it has most answers to everything related to living in AD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abu-Dhabi-Co.../dp/9768182695
2. Search for information on this htat has already been posted - some will be out of date but most will still be good
3. If you dont plan to drive, you should live downtown on Abu Dhabi island, where taxis and bus service will get you around town when it is tpoo hot to walk.
4. Where you live will be determined by your housing allowance and requirements. You are coming at a good time as a lot of new buildings are releasing new apartments on the market. Apartments are found using agents, who will help you get your utulities set up (extra). REnt is paid 12 months in advance. Apartments ar rented unfurnished.
5. Power sockets are the same as the UK but recommedn you download a VPN and skype before you leave - many websites are blocked.
6. I dont watch UK telly - some channels are available on cable and you can also download your favorite programmes on iplayer if you have a high bandwith connection. Others may advise you better on this.

Good luck.

Grace O Malley

Dan, where will you be working, not the name of the company, the area?

Taxis are metered, so it depends on time of day, traffic etc

punky7

***Dan, where will you be working, not the name of the company, the area?

Taxis are metered, so it depends on time of day, traffic etc***

I will be working in Abu Dhabi City i beleive.



***welcome to BE and the board punky7.

Here is what you need to do:

1. Order this book - it has most answers to everything related to living in AD:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abu-Dhabi-Co.../dp/9768182695
2. Search for information on this htat has already been posted - some will be out of date but most will still be good
3. If you dont plan to drive, you should live downtown on Abu Dhabi island, where taxis and bus service will get you around town when it is tpoo hot to walk.
4. Where you live will be determined by your housing allowance and requirements. You are coming at a good time as a lot of new buildings are releasing new apartments on the market. Apartments are found using agents, who will help you get your utulities set up (extra). REnt is paid 12 months in advance. Apartments ar rented unfurnished.
5. Power sockets are the same as the UK but recommedn you download a VPN and skype before you leave - many websites are blocked.
6. I dont watch UK telly - some channels are available on cable and you can also download your favorite programmes on iplayer if you have a high bandwith connection. Others may advise you better on this.

Good luck.****

With regards to the 12 months upfront? if the rental is 140,000 AED thats £24,000 roughly i will have to pay straight away!?.... is that right?....

Dan

csdf

I would guess around 25 DHS. The metres work primarily off distance, not time, so journey time makes virtually no difference to the price.
The 35 minute journey to the airport costs me 40 DHS. A 1 1/2 trip to Dubai costs about 250 DHS.

punky7

Thanks for that "CSDF", that really helps.

GRACE, i will be working in Abu Dhabi City i beleive.

WEESCOT Thank you for that information bud. are you saying that if i want to rent a flat which is 140k AED/DHS i will have to pay that whole ammount upfront before i move in. (Which is about £24k)??..... (Sound a bit extreme)



What would you guys have would be an average wage (Yearly Salary) to survive on out in Abu Dhabi?...?...?

Thanks
Dan

Grace O Malley

Pulling teeth.... OK, depends who you rent from, but yes most landlords want the money up front. You could be lucky and get half cash and the other half in the form of a posted dated cheque, that has to be verified by your bank.

Dan, why dont you just tell us what the offer is and we can give our opinion.

Bahtatboy

If you're a Pakistani taxi driver, GBP5k per year; if you're a neurosurgeon, GBP500k per year. Tell us what you do (even roughly), and you'll get some sensible (roughly) answers. Insh'allah.

punky7

I will be working as a Trainee Financial Consultant earnings from £30k to £70k GBP per year.

There is no package involed so i have to provide my own accomodation and flights etc...

Is this common to pay that ammount of money upfront for rent?

Dan

csdf

Personally, I wouldn't bother coming here if you don't get an accommodation allowance and you're on that salary range. In fact, I thought that employers have to provide an allowance by law (or is that just a myth perpetuated by the Explorer guide)? YMMV, of course.


It's completely common to pay a year's rent upfront - it's the only way.

weescot

You willhave to get a proper offer in AED if your employer is local. By law there are some fundamentals that have to be either rolled into your remuneration package or itemised separately. ie accomodation, flight home, health insurance etc. Sounds like you are getting an all rolled into one offer.

Abu Dhabi city isn't really an expression used here. What neighbourhood are you working in?

Meow

Oh no - a commission only package, so no guarantees. Please tell me it isn't for de. V e re..