Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hello everyone,

I've been offered a procurement position with a large building material company in the UAE. I would be working in the Jebel Ali area.

They just sent me their first offer as follows:

- Base Salary: 210 000 AED / year
- Accommodation Allowance: 75 000 AED / year
- Car Allowance: 20 500 AED / year

The package also includes 30 days vacation along with flights for my family and I (Wife and 2 children, 3 year old twins). SO the package is worth about 300k / year.

I am very interested in the position offered and the thought of relocating. But, the package seems low.

I'd like to get some feedback from you guys. What is the true cost of living in Dubai? Does it make sense to move my family from Canada to Dubai for 300k per year? Is it common practice in Dubai to send a counter offer?
How much more should I ask for in order to live a modest but comfortable life with my family?

Please help.

Shab

The accomodation allowance is nowhere near enough to pay all the rent for a place suitable for a family. Even a 2 bed apartment in an area convenient for where you would be working would start at around AED130k per annum.

A salary of AED 17,500 per month is not enough for a family of four, especially if you will have to subsidise rent from your own pocket.

Thanks for the info..
That is exactly what I thought..
Do you have an idea on what I would need to live comfortably with 2 children?

Shab wrote:Thanks for the info..
That is exactly what I thought..
Do you have an idea on what I would need to live comfortably with 2 children?

3 bed Villa +/- 200k p/a

Dewa etc +/- 20k p/a

School fees +/- 100k p/a

1 x 4x4 150k financed @ 6% over 4 years

1 Saloon car 80kfinanced @ 6% over 4 years

Total transport loan payment 71.3k p/a

Running cost 150 pw x 52 = 7.8k p/a

Insurance @4.5% 10.35k p/a

Total +/- 410k p/a

Of course you could always look for a cheap place to live, cheap school (not many of those here) 2nd hand vehicles or better still a bike for the wife.

This should help you do a rough calculation...

Cost of living in Dubai

According to Sage & Onion, I am quite a bit away form the "Comfort" number with this package offered. Thanks for the info.