Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

I feel this post should be stickied. Here is info which is missing in other stickies, but these sites help people do their own research on main points which kept coming up in questions. Didn't want it to get lost in another thread.


If incoming expats want to figure out cost of living in Dubai, they can visit the following websites:

Rental costs:

http://www.bhomes.com

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... ts_to_Let/

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... as_To_Let/

http://www.dubizzle.com


Property to buy:

http://www.bhomes.com

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... _For_Sale/

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... _For_Sale/

(Tack on an average annual rate of 8% if planning 15 year mortgage)


New car prices:

http://www.drivearabia.com/newvehicleguide.html
(Not self-promoting. It really is the only semi-accurate online guide. The rest are BS)

(A three-year lease totally costs about the same as the new car price, so in general, divide new car costs by 36 to get monthly rate)

Used car prices:

http://www.dubizzle.com

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... Sale/Cars/

http://gulfnews.com/classifieds/classif ... el_Drives/

(There are other sites, but all advertise overpriced used car dealer nonsense. Use the above as reference for market rates)


Schools:

Here are the two extremes in terms of price:

Arab Unity School
http://www.arabunityschool.com
Fees: http://www.arabunityschool.com/aus/fees.htm

GEMS World School
http://www.gemsworldschool-dubai.com
Fees: http://www.gemsworldschool-dubai.com/se ... .01p009001

(Either one will get your kid into Harvard. No lie)


If anyone would like to add to this list, go ahead.

would add

http://www.grapeshisha.com/

they have spreadsheets on COL, rental costs and salary ranges too!

gtmash wrote:(A three-year lease totally costs about the same as the new car price, so in general, divide new car costs by 36 to get monthly rate)

Not applicable for small/economy car though.
Monthly rent for Lancer approx 1700 AED/month includes insurance & CDW (from big/reputable company).
From your generalized formula: x36 = 61K AED
A new Lancer will cost from less than 40K AED.

xty wrote:

gtmash wrote:(A three-year lease totally costs about the same as the new car price, so in general, divide new car costs by 36 to get monthly rate)

Not applicable for small/economy car though.
Monthly rent for Lancer approx 1700 AED/month includes insurance & CDW (from big/reputable company).
From your generalized formula: x36 = 61K AED
A new Lancer will cost from less than 40K AED.

You might be getting ripped off. Hertz will get you into a Yaris (similar price as Lancer) for a little more than 1400. Of course, it is just a very rough estimate, and varies between companies.

gtmash wrote:

xty wrote:Not applicable for small/economy car though.
Monthly rent for Lancer approx 1700 AED/month includes insurance & CDW (from big/reputable company).
From your generalized formula: x36 = 61K AED
A new Lancer will cost from less than 40K AED.

You might be getting ripped off. Hertz will get you into a Yaris (similar price as Lancer) for a little more than 1400. Of course, it is just a very rough estimate, and varies between companies.

I usually rented from Diamond Lease.
For 1400, which sometimes advertised in newspaper, is for 1-3 years contract. Three years ago maybe yes, I rented for 1400 (Lancer/206/Civic/Polo), but not nowadays. Are you sure they offer it without contract? If yes, next time I come home to Dubai I'll take it.

xty wrote:

gtmash wrote:

xty wrote:Not applicable for small/economy car though.
Monthly rent for Lancer approx 1700 AED/month includes insurance & CDW (from big/reputable company).
From your generalized formula: x36 = 61K AED
A new Lancer will cost from less than 40K AED.

You might be getting ripped off. Hertz will get you into a Yaris (similar price as Lancer) for a little more than 1400. Of course, it is just a very rough estimate, and varies between companies.

I usually rented from Diamond Lease.
For 1400, which sometimes advertised in newspaper, is for 1-3 years contract. Three years ago maybe yes, I rented for 1400 (Lancer/206/Civic/Polo), but not nowadays. Are you sure they offer it without contract? If yes, next time I come home to Dubai I'll take it.

Not sure of the details. I was talking about long-term leases though, which some people like to do instead of buying. Short-term monthly rental is a different (more expensive) story. I just came up with the lease rate after I saw this:

http://www.hertz-uae.com/content/detail ... erId=22131

gtmash wrote:Not sure of the details. I was talking about long-term leases though, which some people like to do instead of buying. Short-term monthly rental is a different (more expensive) story. I just came up with the lease rate after I saw this:
http://www.hertz-uae.com/content/detail ... erId=22131

Yep, that's it, with 3 years contract.
* 3 years lease rate applicable on 1.3 ltr Yaris automatic

In my opinion, if we stay more than one year, it's better to buy a new car (economy/compact class). Considering free dealer's maintenance of one year (or better 3 years if exists) and maybe free insurance (for first year), there's not much expenses.
At the end of 3 years the amount paid to buy new one (+ interests) and the long term lease would be more or less the same. And then we can sell the car to get the cash back at least 50%.

Rough example:

Yaris on 3 years lease 1342/mo x 36 = amount paid 48.3K

New standard Yaris 40K + 8%/pa interests for 3 years installments
= (1111.1 + 266.67) x 36 = amount paid 49.6K
- 30K selling price after 3 years
= total amount paid 19.6K only (comparing to 48K over the lease)

Ok, if we want to consider also other expenses like car registration, 2nd-3rd years insurance, paperworks, I don't think they will cost 28K, right?