Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi,

I will be moving out soon (just in time for the summer - oh joy!) with my wife and baby to take up a new job. I'm currently getting quotes for shipping our personal effects - the contents of a one-bedroom flat, not a great deal of furniture - from London to Dubai.

I wonder if anyone on the forum has a view of total relocation costs - i.e. shipping our stuff, flights for two adults and an infant, plus setting-up costs (buying white goods and other fixtures, putting down utilities deposits etc) once we're there. My company is offering GBP5K to cover all these costs and I don't think this will be enough. I'm not counting upfront rental costs in this.

I'd be interested in other people's experiences and opinions, especially any good shipping company recommendations.

Most people buy new furniture etc when they get here, or get a company to do it for you. 1 bed furnished packages are from as little as 25000 dhs. We furnish all the time saves time hassle and the furniture fits!! Let me know if you need any more advice.

I shipped 12 medium-size boxes of stuffs by DHL when moving from Bangkok to Dubai for about 7000 AED.

I'd suggest you leave big stuffs in UK, just bring couple of big luggages (that fit on the flight) including important stuffs. The rest, you could buy in Dubai. 25000 AED is too much to furnish 1BR, 10000 AED should be enough for basics (bed, TV, washing machine, refrigerator, stove, tables, chairs/sofa), unless you'd buy big plasma TV, 4 doors refrigerators, big dining table, 15 seats sofa IKEA is alright.

Deposits: couple of thousands for DEWA (Electricity/Water), couple of hundreds for landline phone, couple of hundreds for DSL, couple of hundreds for cable/satellite. Check their sites.

Tickets, check your travel agents or Emirates site.

First month living cost (foods, transports) about 5000 AED.

All in all, 5000 GBP or 35000 AED should be more than enough.

If you can find all those items for 10000dhs Id hire you tomorrow!!!... However must be of a quality that is suitable for living for 5years plus not the usual 6months.

Thanks for the comments. I should clarify that we are moving from a one-bedrooom place but hopefully to a three-bedroom place in Dubai (there are three of us and we're desperately cramped already with the baby sleeping in our room, but we put off moving in London because we knew we'd be moving to Dubai).

So in Dubai we will need to furnish a three-bedroom apartment or villa, which I imagine will cost a bit more than AED10,000. Besides, if we leave our furniture in the UK then we'll have to store it, and the cost of that adds up after a while. I've also got some shipping quotes now which are quite reasonable - about GBP1000-1500, which is much less than I was expecting.

Can anyone give me a link to somewhere with more information about costs of buying furniture etc in Dubai?

Shipping isn't too bad. Furniture includes Ikea, Home Centre and the likes which are at the cheaper end, there's loads of stores though (not sure online) so won't take you long when you get here. Overall, think UK Ikea prices across a wider range of stores.

Colbar wrote:If you can find all those items for 10000dhs Id hire you tomorrow!!!... However must be of a quality that is suitable for living for 5years plus not the usual 6months.

First, OP didn't say 3 BR and you mentioned 1BR, so I assume it's for 1BR.

My experience to furnish 1BR for my family (2 adults, 1 baby):

* Medium quality king size spring matress starts 800 AED
* IKEA double sofa bed starts 1200 AED
* CRT TV 29" starts 800 AED
* Washing machine front loading starts 1000 AED
* Refrigerator double doors starts 800 AED
* IKEA multi purpose/dining table for four + couple of chairs starts 600 AED
* IKEA wardrobe 2 doors starts 500 AED
* Gas stove + oven starts 1000 AED
* Other small things

They are not fitted furnitures, they are not the best brands, but I have been using for couple of years and none are broken. And there's still some spare to increase the "quality".

Even those can be 40-50% cheaper if you can find good second hand stuffs like in souq.com, newspaper ads, ads board at Spinney's, specialized stores, etc. After sometimes if you don't like it, just "throw it out". You don't loose much money if then you move after sometimes. I find this quite interesting and more effective if you're not sure if you'll stay for long time in Dubai. I know I'm not sure

Off course, for 3 BR that would probably more than 10000 AED (if you fully furnish all the rooms).

There is surviving and there is living!!

Ikeas furniture does a job, its cheap and practical but not long lasting.

You forgot to mention curtains, side tables bedside tables, dressing units, tv unit, coffee table, etc etc

People do get very bad advice on furnishings, if its cheap and cheerful you require then the above is the answer. If its a home you require then please advise these people sensibly.

The One is a good store, but expensive.
Home Centre has a large variety of choice, cheap prices but study the quality of finish.
Homes R Us is the same.

Colbar wrote:There is surviving and there is living!!

So far, I'm lucky that I'm not surviving, I enjoy living in Dubai. Dine outside couple of times a week. Go out of town once a week. Go holiday abroad twice a year. I could have afford more, but why spend more. But hey, that's me.

Colbar wrote:You forgot to mention curtains, side tables bedside tables, dressing units, tv unit, coffee table, etc etc.
People do get very bad advice on furnishings, if its cheap and cheerful you require then the above is the answer. If its a home you require then please advise these people sensibly.

I said basics (first things you should buy on first days). The rests, that's everyone's choice and standards. I'm trying not to scare newcomers, just to inform the truth and that they have a choice. Not everyone earns big salary. Not everyone would spend much money.

Live the Korean Style, no need the hassle of purchasing furnitures etc. Classic and minimalist, here it is.

Bedroom


Living Room

Colbar wrote:There is surviving and there is living!!

Surviving is what the Ethopians do. You'll be fine. Judging by what your company is paying you just to relocate, I assume your wife will take the kids to school in an SUV, you can have Starbucks twice a day, and you can dine at Emirates Towers every weekend.

gtmash wrote:

Colbar wrote:There is surviving and there is living!!

Surviving is what the Ethopians do. You'll be fine. Judging by what your company is paying you just to relocate, I assume your wife will take the kids to school in an SUV, you can have Starbucks twice a day, and you can dine at Emirates Towers every weekend.

The amount isn't actually that much in the UK, it's all relative.

Most people have said that it isn't much for Dubai, either, and that it probably won't cover all the costs. If I assume about £1800 for shipping and about £700 for flights, that leaves £2500 = AED17,500

Then there's:

- Utilities deposit AED3000 (?)
- Oven AED1000+
- Fridge AED1000+

That leaves 12,500.

Now, I understand that if you rent through an estate agent you can expect to pay 3-5% of your annual rental cost in commission, presumably up front? So let's say that's at least another AED5,000 and probably more. Suddenly there's not much left in the pot for curtains, additional furniture etc.

Actually, the landlord will ask for at least half, if not all, of your annual rent up front. Not sure how newcomers handle that. I don't think your amount was intended to cover rent.

P.S. Utilities shouldn't cost you more than dhs 2k though.

Many companies pay you first rent cheque for you then let you pay it back monthly from your wage.

Yup, deposits can be sore if you're not prepared. I was a bit shocked in some cases but I was lucky I had some cash. Worst one as said is the 5% agent payment, would advise take company accom if available, or at least maximise any free accom you get in you package so you get a pay check or two under your belt.

Yes, I realise I'll have to pay rent up front but my employer will advance me that. But it seems to me that there are a lot of other costs associated with moving into a new place.

How easy is it to rent a place direct from the landlord, i.e. cutting out the agent and therefore the agent's commission? Or does this involve too much hassle and running around?

Put an advertisement in the Gulf News & Khaleej Times stating that you require direct from owner... see what happens.

jayzed wrote:But it seems to me that there are a lot of other costs associated with moving into a new place.

That's true. Believe me, I end up almost no savings when moving around on 4 countries (3 employers) in the last 3 years. All savings were sucked into relocation costs, vacation breaks, and furnishing new apartments. I wish I had better options. Hopefully this time in Dubai will last long.

jayzed wrote:How easy is it to rent a place direct from the landlord, i.e. cutting out the agent and therefore the agent's commission? Or does this involve too much hassle and running around?

AFAIK, only newer or freehold apartments that you'll have better chance on getting directly from the owner, for example The Greends, Marina, etc. You don't pay the 5% commission but usually they are already expensive. So if you can afford it, search/put the ads. Otherwise, there's no choice.