Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

hi guys
hello to everyone who helps keep up this site and the valuable inputs...i had a brief question to ask...i will be moving to dubai shortly and have been offered a salary just below 20,000/AED per month...is that a good payscale for a 29 yr old single person to survive on...by looking at the rent scale...its comparable to hong kong ...and lower than singapore...

Constantine;

20k/month is fine to live on.

Don't know what your background is / expectations are but with a salary like that you can;
- rent your own nice 1-bed flat (80k/year)
- drive a nice car (2k/month)
- live/eat well (8k/month)
- have some money left over for holidays, etc

You'll probably find you can command a better salary once you can demonstrate GCC experience.

Good luck!

- Stuart

hi stuart
thanks for the info...i work in media...having worked in both hong kong and singapore...hong kong was a shocker...as things here are very expensive...rent being the top of the heap...but even when you go to a nice resturant you can end up spending about 150/- us on a decent meal with a bit of wine...unlike singapore...where you literally struggle to spend your money compared to hong kong...so i just wanted to be sure i am not in for a rude shock in dubai...i know real estate is real expensive...but how about eating out etc...? any comparative cost indexes out there?
excuse my ignorance...but what does GCC experience mean...especially related to media?
cheers
constantine

hi stuart
thanks for the info...i work in media...having worked in both hong kong and singapore...hong kong was a shocker...as things here are very expensive...rent being the top of the heap...but even when you go to a nice resturant you can end up spending about 150/- us on a decent meal with a bit of wine...unlike singapore...where you literally struggle to spend your money compared to hong kong...so i just wanted to be sure i am not in for a rude shock in dubai...i know real estate is real expensive...but how about eating out etc...? any comparative cost indexes out there?
excuse my ignorance...but what does GCC experience mean...especially related to media?
cheers
constantine

Constantine;

GCC refers to 'Gulf Cooperation Council' and basically refers to all the countries of the northern Arabian Peninsula. It would be wrong to say 'Arabic experience' and there's more around here than just the UAE.

Food here isn't too expensive but getting sloshed on quality wine while you dine would hurt your wallet.

A _good_ meal for two with a glass or two of wine would cost about 300AED (about 80USD) - this would be at a five-star hotel reasonable restaurant with a view / ambience.
A nice meal for two with a couple of beers would cost up to 200AED (think nice Italian restaurant)
If you like Indian food then some of the best biryani I've eaten has been in Bur Dubai (no alcohol licence though) and you could leave there smiling for 15AED ...

You won't struggle to spend your money here (if you want to spend your money) as there's a lot to tempt you. Hehe ... (secondhand) Ferrari Testarossa for 3,000 AED/month installments anyone??

HTH - Stuart

PS. The *only* thing to beware of in Dubai is rent. You'll have to pay one year in advance - so bring cash with you. Most employers at the 20k level won't provide accommodation. If you're going to be working in Dubai Media City there are a lot of late 20's early 30's expats flat-sharing in The Greens - which is about 3km (and 20 minutes!!) away.

hey stuart
thanks for the info...yeah my aim is to get a mustang...white with a black stripe running accross...i am a oldie at heart...my employer is willing to loan me 6 months worth or rent money when i arrive...though i do not want to commit to a place as that would mean a huge commitment on my part and refurnishing etc...so yeah i am really on the lookout for flatmates at the greens area...if you do know of anyone..or if anyone is reading this...am looking for a flatmate!!...