Blue Cat

ok inexpensive!!

Fairydust

or value for money

Confucius

She's priceless...

Blue Cat

she is that indeed!!!

Confucius

I will start keeping an eye on MM from now on...I'm a sucker for tall blondes...

Madam Medusa

thought you said it was busty blondes...if that's the case, we'll go far...if not, been nice knowing ya...

MM, xx

Fairydust

Oh dear conf stories mixed up is so not a good idea

Confucius

Ahhh yes...Busty...What was I thinking...
I know...Was thinking of you...I need to get busted these days...

Fairydust

Right you are deleted from my contacts wie

Confucius

You're also busting me???

Fastfunker

I was planning on starting a new thread about this, but since this discussion is quite relevant, I thought I would hijack your's instead - sorry

Moving out in Late September from the UK - I am a Company Director with wife + 2 kids in tow (aged 5 and 8).

From a multitude of threads on this site and my own personal research, I have come up with the following figures for monthly living costs. I guess I am looking for a sanity check here. I am trying to be as realistic as possible, but at the same time not compromise the standard of living I already have. All figures are AED per month:

Rent: 20K (3-4 bed villa in the Meadows or similar)
School Fees: 8K (Wellington School/Dubai English School or similar)
Utilities: 2.5K
Maid: 2K
Food: 4K
Car loan repayments on 4x4: 4.5K - probably newish second hand
Car loan repayments on saloon: 2k - probably newish second hand
Insurance 4x4 - 800
Insurance saloon - 400
Petrol - 800

Total - AED 45K.

Like I say, really just looking for a sanity check here and to see if I am completely wide of the mark? I want to be enjoying myself out there and not scaping a living. Am I being realistic?

Just off to lunch now, but all replies/comments gratefully received....!

Blue Cat

45k a month and paying your own way basically? sounds good to me. 240 dhs housing allowance is good - I think some will disagree on the 4000 for shopping though - what about savings???

Fastfunker

The 45K is the "existence" figure. Savings/pension/slush money etc on top obviously. The 240K p/a isn't an allowance - it's all built into salary, but since I appreciate just how stupidly expensive property appears to be out here I am expecting to budget at least this month per month for rental. To be honest I am more tempted to buy as the repayments on a euro mortgage for the equivalent size of property would likely be a little less.

What do you reckon a realistic grocery figure might be for a family of 4 then?? Are the other figures realistic or OTT??

Thanks.

IndieG

Your budget is fine (may be a little on the high side). Maid - I think you should allow an extra AED 500, then allow for entertainment, miscellaneous, shopping, holidays......

Blue Cat

2500 a month for a maid?? that seems high? or am I out of touch again. Most of my friends are paying about 1400 dhs.