Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Is this a realistic monthly budget?

AED 8,000 HOUSING
AED 2,000 CAR RENTAL
AED 3,000 FOOD (INCLUDES EATING OUT)
AED 1,000 ENTERTAINMENT (NON-DRINKER)
AED 300 CELL PHONE (PERSONAL)
AED 600 GAS
AED 1,000 MISCELLANEOUS

TOTAL = AED 15,900

I am missing anything or are there other considerations?

Thanks!

is that what your budget is or what you are asking for along with salary?

what kind of salary are you getting, as that makes a difference.

These are the figures I am estimating on a monthly basis. I am assuming I can stick to it, but I don't know if it is realistic or not. My budget can obviously cover this amount with a bit leftover, but it isn't much over! haha.

in your other post you said your rental was covered, if that the case you can live off that budget. of course that all depends on you being able to stick to your own budget.

Well I have just included everything in terms of AED. Obviously some of the items I listed is covered or partially covered.

Why is it so difficult to get an idea of how much it costs to live here?

beacuse everything depends on what lifestyle you want to live. Dubai is a city of great contrasts you know (that's what they've been telling us anyway), and housing can cost from around AED800/mo (which I wouldn't really call ''housing'' since you'll be sharing a room with other people) in downtown dubai, or around what you estimated or higher in places starting with the word ''The''. Amount you'll spend on food will depend on whether you eat out often or cook your own food. The former is way too expensive than the latter. By my standards your estimate is way more than enough.

For how many people is that budget?

You can eat really cheaply in Dubai, you just have to know where to go and sometimes it's cheaper to eat out than buy food - I find anyway, when you can get a meal for two for 25 Dhs, Karama of course, but hey it's good and I like it.

neltron3030 wrote:Is this a realistic monthly budget?

AED 8,000 HOUSING - achievable in bur dubai (ard Mankhool)1 bedroom
AED 2,000 CAR RENTAL - lancer 1.6 + 1 mth fuel exp but please make allowance for SALIK charges starting 1st july
AED 3,000 FOOD (INCLUDES EATING OUT) - of course
AED 1,000 ENTERTAINMENT (NON-DRINKER) - of course
AED 300 CELL PHONE (PERSONAL) - ok but don't make too much international calls
AED 600 GAS - erm.....is this fuel???? Or you can allocate this for mthly DEWA
AED 1,000 MISCELLANEOUS - as long as you don't shop too much

TOTAL = AED 15,900

I am missing anything or are there other considerations?

Thanks!

My reply in red

Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 3-6 months before you can apply for a loan.

gtmash wrote:Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 6 months before you can apply for a loan.

Thats not true at all - as soon as you have a residency visa you can apply for a loan. I was here for 5 weeks and applied for my car loan and it was approved.

XPClone wrote:

gtmash wrote:Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 6 months before you can apply for a loan.

Thats not true at all - as soon as you have a residency visa you can apply for a loan. I was here for 5 weeks and applied for my car loan and it was approved.

You must be Britamerican then. Of course you will now say I am against Britamericans somehow.

gtmash wrote:

XPClone wrote:

gtmash wrote:Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 6 months before you can apply for a loan.

Thats not true at all - as soon as you have a residency visa you can apply for a loan. I was here for 5 weeks and applied for my car loan and it was approved.

You must be Britamerican then. Of course you will now say I am against Britamericans somehow.

Oh Jesus - build a bridge and get over it. What the hell is the matter with you!

XPClone wrote:

gtmash wrote:

XPClone wrote:

gtmash wrote:Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 6 months before you can apply for a loan.

Thats not true at all - as soon as you have a residency visa you can apply for a loan. I was here for 5 weeks and applied for my car loan and it was approved.

You must be Britamerican then. Of course you will now say I am against Britamericans somehow.

Oh Jesus - build a bridge and get over it. What the hell is the matter with you!

Would you prefer a floating bridge or a fixed one?

To the original post, electricity-water bills shouldn't cross Dhs 800 for you if u take a 2-bedroom place all for yourself, even in the peak of summer while paying your own a/c bills. Should be much less if you live alone and your place is empty in the morning.

By the way, Dhs 3000 for eating out? Do you plan to have every meal at a 5-star hotel? Maybe you have a family of large kids you haven't mentioned yet? Trust me, food isn't that expensive here.

hey neltron,

like everyone has pointed out, obviously budgetting is dependant on lifestyle but i think your guess seems reasonable.

one of my mates from work emailed me his rough monthly budget last month and i'm planning on living within the same means. we're both in our twenties living with our girlfriends (ahem, sorry, 'wives').

Rent – Circa 9,500 Dhs
Mobile phone – 200 Dhs
House Phone – 115Dhs
Television – 190 Dhs
Internet – 190 Dhs
DEWA – 200 Dhs
Food shopping – 2,000 Dhs
Going out – 4,000 Dhs

Total = 16,395 Dhs

I think as a general figure, 16,000 - 17,000 per month for a couple in a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment (depending on area obviously) is a reasonable budget - and that's including beer money!

Nobody really seems to have given you an answer but i think you're in the right ballpark.

If anyone thinks that budget is unrealistic please feel free to offer some constructive comments!

jcraiggibson wrote:hey neltron,

like everyone has pointed out, obviously budgetting is dependant on lifestyle but i think your guess seems reasonable.

one of my mates from work emailed me his rough monthly budget last month and i'm planning on living within the same means. we're both in our twenties living with our girlfriends (ahem, sorry, 'wives').

Rent – Circa 9,500 Dhs
Mobile phone – 200 Dhs
House Phone – 115Dhs
Television – 190 Dhs
Internet – 190 Dhs
DEWA – 200 Dhs
Food shopping – 2,000 Dhs
Going out – 4,000 Dhs

Total = 16,395 Dhs

I think as a general figure, 16,000 - 17,000 per month for a couple in a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment (depending on area obviously) is a reasonable budget - and that's including beer money!

Nobody really seems to have given you an answer but i think you're in the right ballpark.

If anyone thinks that budget is unrealistic please feel free to offer some constructive comments!

Hey there, food shopping will cost you a lot less, if feeding two people.

actually i had applied after 2 mos and got knocked back and i'm certainly a britamerican!

XPClone wrote:

gtmash wrote:Try buying a compact car if you just want a commuter car and plan to live here for more than 2 years. Paying 1500+ per month for a compact means you lose in the long run. Of course you need to work for 6 months before you can apply for a loan.

Thats not true at all - as soon as you have a residency visa you can apply for a loan. I was here for 5 weeks and applied for my car loan and it was approved.