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Hello people,

I have applied for a job that has a salary of 437k AED. So far I don't have all the details regarding this salary/package except that it says cost of living allowance is included in the total package.

Suppose this salary is all there's, no housing, medical or education allowances, can a family with 3 little children (school age) live comfortably on it?

Thanks for your input

You're kidding right? Most people here would give their right arm for a salary like that.

Thanks for the reply; No kidding I was thinking about rent, my kids education, and health coverage I suppose I have to get that on my own.

Will I be able to do that and save money as well?

that's approx 36k dhs per month

you'll get health but will have to buy coverage for your family

how many kids? schools vary between (i think) 40-60k p.a.

also, are you oK w/ an apt or do you want a villa?

you need to do some research on rent-- it will be biggest chunk of yr outgoings

my initial take is that it is a good package but whether you can save or not will depend on answers to questions above

Sydneysider wrote:that's approx 36k dhs per month

you'll get health but will have to buy coverage for your family

how many kids? schools vary between (i think) 40-60k p.a.

also, are you oK w/ an apt or do you want a villa?

you need to do some research on rent-- it will be biggest chunk of yr outgoings

my initial take is that it is a good package but whether you can save or not will depend on answers to questions above

40k-60k for the pointlessly expensive schools. There are much cheaper ones which are just as good.

Chocoholic wrote:You're kidding right? Most people here would give their right arm for a salary like that.

Choco its not out of this world, the guy has 3 kids .. a 4 bedroom villa will probably eat out 200K out of those .. (if not more)

Thank you all for your replies and input.

Sydneysider, I have 3 little boys 4, 6 and 8 yrs old.

I don't mind a 3 bdrm apt for a year or 2 and then maybe look for a villa on my own pace.

Wife is also an engineer and teacher so she might be lucky and get a job as well.

Any idea on cost of health coverage for the family?

Maad, how about a 3 bdrm villa, will that take away 200K as well?

dgeneral wrote:Thank you all for your replies and input.

Sydneysider, I have 3 little boys 4, 6 and 8 yrs old.

I don't mind a 3 bdrm apt for a year or 2 and then maybe look for a villa on my own pace.

Wife is also an engineer and teacher so she might be lucky and get a job as well.

Any idea on cost of health coverage for the family?

Maad, how about a 3 bdrm villa, will that take away 200K as well?

School Fees can range from 20k - 45k per annum, budget for 30k = 90k

3 bed villa in Ranches 210 - 230k

Electricity, Water & Housing fee = 2000 per month average

Medical depending on the coverage required but will come to 30 - 50k

What about Air Tickets, Local transportation, furniture etc.?

sage & onion wrote:

dgeneral wrote:Thank you all for your replies and input.

Sydneysider, I have 3 little boys 4, 6 and 8 yrs old.

I don't mind a 3 bdrm apt for a year or 2 and then maybe look for a villa on my own pace.

Wife is also an engineer and teacher so she might be lucky and get a job as well.

Any idea on cost of health coverage for the family?

Maad, how about a 3 bdrm villa, will that take away 200K as well?

School Fees can range from 20k - 45k per annum, budget for 30k = 90k

3 bed villa in Ranches 210 - 230k

Electricity, Water & Housing fee = 2000 per month average

Medical depending on the coverage required but will come to 30 - 50k

What about Air Tickets, Local transportation, furniture etc.?

How did you come up with that medical insurance number? I think I got an online quote of Dhs 2500 for an individual from Royal & Sunalliance for one of their top packages, but I can't remember the exact number.

Company med insurance is of course much cheaper, but I don't know why is company is not offering it after handing out such a large package.

Actually i think Medical and tickets back home are requirement by law so dgeneral i would double check i am pretty sure they will be covered by the company.

Medical - not the whole family I don't think. Just probably the employee. Unless you're talking about Government health cards.

Thank you all again for your input.

Sage, with these numbers you gave, I guess it's work during the day and begging after . Don't get me wrong I believe you I knew it would be that expensive anyway.

Maad, thanks for the tickets and health coverage tip although I tend to agree with Choco on the health for employee only. I shall find out more hopefully tomorrow as the recruiter I'm dealing with is in Europe and it's Sunday today.

gtmash, kindly post the names of the other schools you think are cheaper and just as good as the expensive ones.

dgeneral wrote:Thank you all again for your input.

Sage, with these numbers you gave, I guess it's work during the day and begging after . Don't get me wrong I believe you I knew it would be that expensive anyway.

Maad, thanks for the tickets and health coverage tip although I tend to agree with Choco on the health for employee only. I shall find out more hopefully tomorrow as the recruiter I'm dealing with is in Europe and it's Sunday today.

gtmash, kindly post the names of the other schools you think are cheaper and just as good as the expensive ones.

If you want the British curriculum, there are quite a few. I went to Arab Unity School and St. Mary's Catholic High. The thing with these is there are few Western people in them, though I never thought it should be an issue. A lot of Western people send their kids to those 50k-per-year schools, which are needlessly expensive, but they are predominantly filled with Western people.

By the way, with that package you can never get down to begging. We get by comfortably on less that half that amount, if you choose to live in a smaller place.

I just got an online health insurance quote for Dhs 2600 max from www.fasterquote.ae . Check it out.

dgeneral wrote:Thank you all again for your input.

Sage, with these numbers you gave, I guess it's work during the day and begging after . Don't get me wrong I believe you I knew it would be that expensive anyway.

Maad, thanks for the tickets and health coverage tip although I tend to agree with Choco on the health for employee only. I shall find out more hopefully tomorrow as the recruiter I'm dealing with is in Europe and it's Sunday today.

gtmash, kindly post the names of the other schools you think are cheaper and just as good as the expensive ones.

Health cover as per the law will only be for you and then only in a Government Hospital, for a family of 5 under BUPA, which gives you American Hospital etc 30-40k per annum is about right.

Schools, it will be up to you, small warning, once the wife gets chatting with new friends, you will get all sorts of grief if you go the cheaper road.

Air Tickets, Employer is only responsible for the first and last, in between it's subject to negotiation.

Good Luck

nice post sage - becoming quiet the ace on this

dgeneral wrote:Hello people,

I have applied for a job that has a salary of 437k AED. So far I don't have all the details regarding this salary/package except that it says cost of living allowance is included in the total package.

Suppose this salary is all there's, no housing, medical or education allowances, can a family with 3 little children (school age) live comfortably on it?

Thanks for your input

Hello again,

I hope this re-post finds you all well

Believe it or not, this thing is still alive...the employer kind of went silent specially during the summer/vacation period...now they are back asking if I'm still interested etc..

The number is actually 470K AED inclusive and in Abu Dhabi. I don't mind renting a 2/3 bdrms apartment...3 kids will have to go to school, I suppose there's a Canadian school in AD? though it doesn't have to be a CDN school of course.

Please let me know if the above number would be OK to live on and save...

Thanks!

i can't help you with the numbers and what not, but living in abu dhabi is way cheaper then dubai and more laid back not as crowded .