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"Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

"Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Old Jul 17th 2013, 11:47 am
  #31  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

And probably not enough alcohol (as I understand it, precisely zero) to warrant living there....
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Old Jul 17th 2013, 12:12 pm
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by MrBAH
And probably not enough alcohol (as I understand it, precisely zero) to warrant living there....
There's always enough booze about in Kuwait. It's just that it's not legal, and sometimes expensive for branded stuff.
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Old Aug 1st 2013, 5:05 pm
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Hello All,
Well i have read the forums downloaded the is it worth it spreadsheet, and really i am none the wiser! i guess i have cocked it up somewhere! Anyway, it seems that it is a little out of date and i was wondering if anyone had any idea on how skint i will be if the following were my offer and i moved my family to Abu Dhabi this year,

Salary 29, 492 AED per month
Rent 150,000 AED per year paid to landlord
Car Loan 150,000 AED over 2 years interest free loan
Schooling 35,000 per child I only have one teenager in school

I have to send around 5500 AED per month back to the UK

I dont have an extravagant life style and although my wife will be coming she doesnt have any major qualifications having worked as a secretary/ receptionist for most of her working life, and so i am not sure how easy she will find work. Any ideas or suggestions (clean ones please!) welcomed.

I will continue to scan the forums and see what else i can find. Thanks in advance
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Old Aug 1st 2013, 5:44 pm
  #34  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by dannyr42
Hello All,
Well i have read the forums downloaded the is it worth it spreadsheet, and really i am none the wiser! i guess i have cocked it up somewhere! Anyway, it seems that it is a little out of date and i was wondering if anyone had any idea on how skint i will be if the following were my offer and i moved my family to Abu Dhabi this year,

Salary 29, 492 AED per month
Rent 150,000 AED per year paid to landlord
Car Loan 150,000 AED over 2 years interest free loan
Schooling 35,000 per child I only have one teenager in school

I have to send around 5500 AED per month back to the UK

I dont have an extravagant life style and although my wife will be coming she doesnt have any major qualifications having worked as a secretary/ receptionist for most of her working life, and so i am not sure how easy she will find work. Any ideas or suggestions (clean ones please!) welcomed.

I will continue to scan the forums and see what else i can find. Thanks in advance
By my calculation, you'll be able to afford a take-away curry once every three weeks.............
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Old Aug 2nd 2013, 6:58 am
  #35  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Thanks The Dean thats all i need! i should have made it clear really that the rent is paid for by my employer and not me as is the childs education so i only have the bills and car loan etc to take out of the monthly salary.

While i am replying to the reply, i have also been told that i get a governement discount card does anyone know what gets discounted with this? and to what percentage?

thanks
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Old Aug 2nd 2013, 8:40 am
  #36  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by dannyr42
Hello All,
Well i have read the forums downloaded the is it worth it spreadsheet, and really i am none the wiser! i guess i have cocked it up somewhere! Anyway, it seems that it is a little out of date and i was wondering if anyone had any idea on how skint i will be if the following were my offer and i moved my family to Abu Dhabi this year,

Salary 29, 492 AED per month
Rent 150,000 AED per year paid to landlord
Car Loan 150,000 AED over 2 years interest free loan
Schooling 35,000 per child I only have one teenager in school

I have to send around 5500 AED per month back to the UK

I dont have an extravagant life style and although my wife will be coming she doesnt have any major qualifications having worked as a secretary/ receptionist for most of her working life, and so i am not sure how easy she will find work. Any ideas or suggestions (clean ones please!) welcomed.

I will continue to scan the forums and see what else i can find. Thanks in advance
You should be fine darling..everything is paid by the company..not sure about rents in AD..sounds like a 1or 2 bedroom apartment type money..others will come on after the weekend and advise about that... but you have the equiv of slightly over 5000 pounds a month..utilities and food etc will be about 500 (2800dhs) pounds, you have to send back 1000 pounds (5600dhs) that leaves you with about 3500 pounds (21,000 dhs)... you will be fine..enjoy xx
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Old Jan 9th 2014, 8:53 am
  #37  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Just a note : Im ex Dubai, well still in the process of relocating. Dubai is in the upturn back to the crazy heights of the mid 2000's before the crash. Rents are going up by (so i've been told 40%) be careful not so go on a tight budget because next year and the years up to 2020 will be crazy!

Ensure that you employer covers ALL the rent and don't forget school fees they are extortionate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

I know so many families who are relocating back to the UK, the states, Oz and NZ because the prices of living are so mad, and I live on a budget. If you want to go and live a 5 star lifestyle and don't pocket any savings then go... but to go and save.... forget it!
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Old Jan 10th 2014, 8:20 am
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by Godfather
Just a note : Im ex Dubai, well still in the process of relocating. Dubai is in the upturn back to the crazy heights of the mid 2000's before the crash. Rents are going up by (so i've been told 40%) be careful not so go on a tight budget because next year and the years up to 2020 will be crazy!

Ensure that you employer covers ALL the rent and don't forget school fees they are extortionate in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

I know so many families who are relocating back to the UK, the states, Oz and NZ because the prices of living are so mad, and I live on a budget. If you want to go and live a 5 star lifestyle and don't pocket any savings then go... but to go and save.... forget it!
6 long years between now and 2020 mate, the bust'll happen long before the expo.
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Old Feb 11th 2014, 10:36 am
  #39  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

The excel sheet "Is-It-Worth-it-UAE-Qatar-Expenses-vs-Package.xls" is brilliant....any updates on the expense changes
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Old Feb 12th 2014, 1:27 pm
  #40  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by uqureshi
Hi Guys,

I've been following some other threads on this forum as well regarding legal jobs in UAE. Below is what I have done in a nutshell:

- Pakistani Matriculation 66% (Pathetic)
- A-Levels (BBC) grades
- HND Merit/distinction profile
- First Class Degree after Top Up from Herriot Watt Dubai.
- GDL and LPC from Nottingham Trent Uni
- Got LLM as well after clearing some other exams etc.
- Have experience of different jobs, lived in Dubai for sometime.. know culture, some Arabic as well - but NO legal experience.
- I tried pretty hard to get a Training Contract in UK but no joy, especially I was an International Student and required a different Visa to work in UK I had quite less time to get a TC and it just didn't work.

I now moved to UAE with my brother and although I am not worried about living costs for now, I still need some job obv. So the thing is my academics are not awesome and I have genuine reasons for that, took gap years to save and pay for my fee and currently have some debt as well.

Q: Now to actual question:
I have applied to certain firms etc. for legal positions and I understand that I won't be paid a really good salary because I don't have any experience or completed a training contract either. So, when I go for interviews and they ask me about the expected salary -
What should I say? What do you guys think will be good enough or a justified salary considering the academics, work experience etc. and my nationality (Pakistani) ? I know that people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. get paid lesser salaries than their counter parts from UK, US, Canada etc.

It's just the way it is.. so it is an important factor as well.

Any helpful answers or suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Thank you everybody!
Do you have any updates bro?
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Old Feb 19th 2014, 12:48 pm
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Hi, I am new to this forum. Is there a "Is it worth it?" spreadsheet like this available for Bahrain and Dammam (Saudi Arabia)? I have been offered a position in one of these places and I really have no idea of whether the offer is going to allow me to live well and to save. The salary offered is around the 30 000 to 35 000 Saudi Rial mark (per month) but I will have to pay everything from this, except annual flights home. ie no housing allowance, car allowance, etc provided.

Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
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Old Apr 17th 2014, 2:15 pm
  #42  
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Question Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Hi all,

I was wondering whether you could give me some guidance. I have been offered a position with an events company in Dubai specialising in MICE, and I am not sure whether to take it.

I am a 24 year old male, holding a relatively senior management position in the UK, heading up my own department. I have been offered a similar role in Dubai, however, I am not so sure about the remuneration package. I am yet to receive all of the details, but the HR manager outlined the below over the telephone.

Salary - 12-14,000 AED per month, rising 25% after the first 3 months, and a further 25% after 6 months.
Accommodation - no accommodation or allowance included.
Relocation costs covered - flights, shipping, visa etc
Yearly return flights to the UK
They also indicated that a living allowance (food and travel) would also be available - figures TBC

I would like to live a fairly active social life and have minimal additional outgoings.

What are your initial thoughts?

Thanks
Rich
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Old Apr 17th 2014, 5:48 pm
  #43  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by RichH90
Salary - 12-14,000 AED per month, rising 25% after the first 3 months, and a further 25% after 6 months.
Accommodation - no accommodation or allowance included.
Accommodation is going to cost you 12-14,000 per month (possibly less if you get a one bed apartment but not in Marina/JBR) so what are you going to live on?
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Old Apr 19th 2014, 7:37 am
  #44  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Originally Posted by mikewot
Accommodation is going to cost you 12-14,000 per month (possibly less if you get a one bed apartment but not in Marina/JBR) so what are you going to live on?
Or.. you could share an apartment for about 5/6000dhs a month
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Old May 27th 2014, 7:14 pm
  #45  
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Default Re: "Is It Worth It" - a guide to costs vs income for the UAE & Qatar

Hi guys,

I have a couple of questions about an offer I have received for Doha.

I am a single, 25 year old guy. The job is an electrical engineer, in general construction sector.

The offer looks good to me; QAR 30,000 pm (10,000 is accommodation) plus QAR 2,000 car allowance, health insurance, 6% pension. The main drawback is only 1 flight home is included.

Firstly, what sort of accommodation will I be realistically looking at for 10K?

Secondly, should I be negotiating to get more than 1 flight home?

Are there any obvious pitfalls I need to be looking out for with the above package?

Thanks

Nate
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