Let's have it

Rent 5250 per month
Taxis 1750 a month
food 600-1000 a month
entertainment- cinema going out- 500
trainer 1700 a month
bills- phone/du/dewa- 1000 a month

I try to keep my monthly outgoings at under 11k- 12 maximum.

Thats basically it. I don't go clothes shopping much but when I do I have a blow out- maybe 3-5k every 4 months or so.

Having said that I have only recently finished decorating my apartment but a l of that will come home with me so long term investments

Travel acorss the year budgeted at 15-20K including spending money.

Soz but thank's for being so honest, it just took time to set up a poll!

Bugger. I'm in LH's category, but then that's only on me (family's in the UK). If I included what my family costs, then it'd be about AED 60k.

we spend less than 10k a month, nothing to be ashamed about supermarket is less than 500 a week, petrol, eating out, 1500 a week at the most

I'm not far off him, I only just tipped into the next box!

That said, one car is owned - the other almost owned. If I was renting them I'd be in for another 10k / month on leasing.

No, no: I have no shame about spending as little as possible, its the shame of being in the same category of anything as LH, especially where money's concerned.

point taken, but I can't see how people spend 20k a month? after housing, dewa, schooling etc

Oh I could spend it- Just have to resist not to!

what on clothes? make up? non essentials?

No, Al Dente... looking at these voting ranges, I assume that you are way about 10-15k....

What on earth are you spending it on!?

I'm around 13k, but we own the cars. I can only think that if I was leasing the two then it would around 23k?

I bet there's a fair few expats who actually buy from the expensive shops in the malls rather than feigning disinterest like me. Previous colleague bought two GBP5k watches in a year (for himself), and his wife actually had a little device (a refractometer?) which she used in shops to tests whether the diamonds were genuine, so god knows how much they spent on lumps of rock. 20k a month on average would be quite easy if you're of that mindset.

we pay for one car, still don't spend 15k

well you always find the odd tosser there used to many like that, not so many these days though, people are watching their money. Look how well all these discount sites are doing, everyone is out to save money

If I had no interest in saving any money wotsoever and was just here for the craik then Id spend a fair bit on clothes each month- I used to shop for a living so Im pretty good at it! I'd go travelling as much as possible, buy 'stuff' for the kids and family at home (I suffer from guilt purchases), get a nice car, maybe live somewhere else- downtown maybe, go out more often. 20K could go easily.