scrubbedexpat141

I reckon you'll be fine.

Again, in one hit:

42,000
Rent - 10k
32,000
Utilities - 2k
30,000
Car + Ins + Fuel (roughly) - 2,500
27,500
Transfer Home - 10k
17,500
Savings??? - even just a bit? - 3k
14,500


So, 14,500 left for meals out, takeaways, food shopping, beer sessions, holidays, taxi's to Dubai to go drinking at the waterparks, dirty massages, F1 tickets and anything else essential.

14,500 / 4 = 3,625 per week. For the mrs and I our food shop is about 6-800 depending on if I go to Choitrams / Waitrose or Carrefour.

= 3625 - 700
2,925 per week to have fun with.

That's basically 500 quid.

Expensive brunch every other week brings it down to 2400 a week (Averaged)

Fags are only 10dhs, one night out for a nice meal is about 500-1000 if you go somewhere reasonably nice. More if you want to be fancy, BUCKET loads less if you go somewhere dirty (but still v good).

I reckon you'll be alright. You won't be flush with bucket loads of money but if you end the month with 5,000dhs spare then you'll have had a good time and not been bored.


***ALL OF THE ABOVE IS SUBJECT TO HOW MUCH YOU SPEND ON SHOPPING AT THE MALLS. IF YOU AVOID THESE YOU ARE GOING TO BE MUCH BETTER OFF.***

Meow

Not if they are confirmed as being UK non-resident for tax purposes.

IndigoGirl

We will get a settling in allowance of 42k - we will either use that to ship our stuff out or start from scratch (although my choice would be to ship stuff as it will be more like home). It is a permanent position (or as permanent as these positions can be) so we would be looking to stay as long as possible. We could rent our house out however at the moment would prefer to let our daughter stay in it but she could not, at the moment, pay too much and we would not chuck her out. I presume that we would be able to pay money into our mortgage each month without having to pay income tax on it?

The company will pay for one flight a year and they do not pay housing, car allowance etc - the 42k is the whole - everything.

There is just so much to look into and we are only starting the process however time will be of the essence.

IndigoGirl

well I reckon seeing as we don't smoke that can be added to what we could spend on our dirty nights out Thanks so much for the breakdown (I was almost having a nervous one!!!). Based on your figures given it does look 'do-able'.

Can you suggest some good areas? Hubby would like to be close to work and I would like to be close to somewhere where I can keep fit - indoors and out.

Meow

And work is where? I think you said your housing budget is AED 120k?

IndigoGirl

Work is at the airport and yes - we thought 120k would be ok?

Meow

You'll get quite a bit for your money in Mirdiff.

IndigoGirl

Do you know if we would be taxed in the UK on sending Dhs10k or so back each month for our mortgage?

Cypselos

I'd factor in something for flying home a couple of times a year outside the annual flight paid for by the company - two flights back to the UK for a couple work out at the best part of 1000 AED a month over the year.

IndigoGirl

Is that close to Dubai Airport? My husband will be at AD airport. I am presuming that because his visa will be from AD then we will have to stay in AD - which, considering traffic conditions, would be preferable.

Cypselos

Abu Dhabi isn't it?

I'm not sure I'd want to be making the trip from Mirdif to AUH everyday, especially if they're digging up SZR for a new paddling pond.

Meow

Per my earlier post, that depends on your residency status (and whether you are liable to UK income tax on overseas earnings). Provided you stay for a number of years you shouldn't have an issue, but there could be a liability to tax in partial tax years for a relatively short stay. It depends on your specific circumstances.

Meow

Ah, I assumed Dubai. If AUH, then Yas Island, Al Raha Gardens and Officers City I think. Rents are much higher in AD though.

archie159

If working at AUH, you could live at Al Reef or somewhere like Al Bandar - both are very close. I have colleagues at both - those with families seem to like Al Reef particularly, and those without seem to prefer Al Bandar. Al Bandar rents at the moment range from about 100k to 140k, for 1 bedroom apartments up to 3 bedroom apartments.

flares

Al Zeina next to Al Bandar will be cheaper. Loads of apartments there.