Dec 20, 2006
Agree, you can get more for an investment company but depends what level you're at. 17k equates to say about 2400 pounds a month, your rent will take 1000 of that, your school fees another 400-500. Not a lot left!
Bear in mind also that, depending what your wife does and wants to do out here, she may not get paid a lot of money or may have to work long hours. Part time jobs here pay hardly anything due to the large amount of cheap labour. One get around may be her getting a job at a nursery, who'll give discounted fees plus a wage to her, so boosting your income and lowering costs.
As far as I know, there's no legal statute on flights beyond getting you to and from Dubai at the start and end of contract, but yearly flights are the norm for Westerners. I have 2 per year for my whole family (3 of us).
Medic insurance should also cover your family.
Relocation, would ask about 5 grand on that income. Reason being you have a lot of outgoings when you get here, including having to pay a substantial amount of rent up front, hefty deposits on just about everything (apartment, phone, cable etc.), you have to rent a car til you get a visa and can buy one etc.
On final point, you can live in cheap areas but it really depends on where you work. If you are working nearby to a cheap area, fine, but if you have to commute to the other side of the Creek expect to spend a few hours a day in traffic.
Don't want to appear downbeat but you really do need more cash if you're to have a good life here.