ZeeLuton

Hi everyone,

This is my first post. I am moving to Dubai as I have managed to get a job out there. Most likely will be moving on the week beginning the 19th of November..

I need to sort out my accommodation and am really not fussed where i end up however I will be working in Al Quoz for a couple of months and then my office will be re-locating near to International City by ABN Amro bank.

How can i arrange accommodation? I can hardly find any classified ads for studios/flats to rent. Can anybody reccomend any agents? My monthly housing allowance is AED 1500 but obviously will be prepared to dig a little bit deeper into my pockets for the ideal place.

Many thanks in advance for your help!

Zee

expat.brat

A 'little' is a bit of an understatement there..

Inselaffen

dubizzle.com and expatriates.com are the sites to find accomodation.

but a room in a shared apartment is going to cost you at least 3500-4000.
With your allowance your will probably have to look into shared/partioned rooms.

lionheart

Oh dear...you may be able to find maids quarters in Sharjah on that budget...try gulfnews.com classifieds

Blue Cat

Zee your company have stitched you up big time with that housing allowance!!! The cheapest I can think of would be a 1 bed apartment at International City and that would cost about 65,000 dhs. (I think)

The Dean

Zee,

From your 'name' I assume that you, like me, are a Bedfordshire boy......

On that allowance, think in terms of a shared bedsit down the other end of Bury Park....

If you don't mind sharing such confidential information, what is your basic salary, and are there any other 'benefits' thrown in? The reason I ask is not to be nosy as such, but to point out that if the salary is somehow commensurate with the housing allowance, you should seriously think about saying 'no' to the whole idea of moving.

Dubai has a glamorous image in the UK but it is NOT the place to be if you are poorly paid......

And finally - assuming you are a fan - what the hell is Blackwell up to? And why is our home record so good, and the away record so poor?

Blue Cat

well said The Dean, Zee if you don't want to share such information on a public forum you can always PM me or The Dean.

Football!!!

Sophie75

Hey there

I am moving to Dubai in 3 weeks too, I am soooooooo nervous and like you I am going to need to find accomodation. My company are putting me up in a hotel for the 1st month until I have found something suitable but then I need to find my own place. I haven't got a clue where to start looking. I think I would just like to rent a room in a shared house so that it will give me a chance to meet new people and I would like to live near the beach.

I can't help but wonder if I am doing the right thing, I am 22 and have never lived on my own before, yet alone move to a foreign country but I figure if I don't give it a try I will only regret it and from researching Dubai, the NightLife and Shopping opportunities sounds amazing!!

Sophie x

Meow

Good for you Sophie.

One thing - it is getting harder to get a villa share near a beach due to rules about certan areas being for families only.

The wiki at the top of the page probably has someinfo about accomodation, otherwise look at Gulf News classifieds, dubizzle.com and notice boards in supermarkets when you get here. (I hope you aren't coming out with ITP.)

Also bear in mind that things are not as cheap as you'll be expecting. Yes, there are heaps of shopping malls, bars, clubs & restaurants, but overall the cost is similar to the UK. That said, it could be a great opportunity for you if you have an open mind.




oh & ZeeLuton - for that budget you might be best buying yourself a tent! Did you really think you'd get somewhere to live for the equivalent of £200 a month??

Eeyore

For "nightlife", read lots of bars where everything costs London prices or higher. For "shopping opportunities", read lots of shiny malls all full of exactly the same shops as each other, selling the same stuff you get in the UK, and at similar prices.

Hey, you might as well know *before* you get here

expat.brat

If you are so seemingly unhappy with everything in Dubai, why not just move somewhere else?

Sophie75

I think seeing the familiar sights of High Street Stores such as New Look, Top Shop and Next will help me to settle in to life in Dubai without missing the UK too much!! I am very worried about leaving all my friends and family behind as I won't know anyone, it will be nice to have some creature comforts around me!

Eeyore

As has been pointed out, 1500 dhs per month is a derisory housing allowance. Has your company-to-be pointed out that rent is paid a year in advance here, and will it give you your year's allowance upfront as a lump sum? If they will, you're still looking at having to find another 47,000 dhs before you can rent even a basic one-room flat in International City. If they won't, you'll have to get your hands on about 65,000 dhs from somewhere (plus your deposits etc).

Eeyore

Who says we're not planning to?

No point jumping for the sake of jumping, though. I'm earning a very good salary indeed here doing something I really enjoy, and with a young family to support it would be silly to move now. We'll be out of here before Maddie is of school age, I'm not paying anything to the rip-off schools they've got here.

None of which precludes me from seeing through the marketing bullshit of Dubai, of course. It's a very superficial place, after all, which suits some people better than others - doesn't mean those who, like myself, find the superficiality an issue, can't reach an accommodation with it for the sake of pragmatism. You, of all people, given your obsession with money, should be able to empathise with that

And FWIW, I was just telling Sophie75 exactly what she'll find when she gets out here. Dubai *is* full of bars charging London prices or higher and malls containing the same shops as every other mall and selling the same goods you'll find in the UK at prices pretty much comparable to the UK.

Of course, Dubai's great if you want a big fridge.

The Dean

Sophie,

A word of caution............

If you are single and coming out alone to Dubai at the age of 22, take great care in one particular respect. You may not be in the habit of frequenting pubs/bars/etc on your own, but if you are, please note that it is not the wisest thing to do in Dubai.

A 22-year-old female, in certain Dubai drinking establishments, can all too easily be mistaken for an altogether different kind of 'professional'.

Dubai is MOSTLY very safe, without a doubt, but make a few friends before venturing out to sample the night life.

I would hope most of the regulars here would agree.......