Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Hi everyone, I have just joined this forum after spending some days looking through it. I am in the final stages of accepting a Job offer in Dubai. I was there last week for 4 days. The company is a large international well respected entity. I am Irish and in Ireland now

First off package, I have been offered 130K USD annual which is about 40K AED per month and the below benefits. (Accommodation allowance is included in the base salary amount), but have asked for 140K, see what they say, or should I pitch higher?, There are no children so school fees will not be an issue as will stay 3 years max, so should I ask for that amount to be added to my base?

Base salary, Transportation allowance,30 days annual leave, Furniture allowance Bonus (based in individual performance) ,Annual return ticket for you and family members (residing in Dubai) Economy class, Medical insurance, Life Insurance,75% of School fees for up to 3 children

My other questions for now are,

1. I am married, and will start in Jan if I take the job. My wife will not join me until later. Probably in summer but she will visit for a few weeks. Can I rent a nice furnished studio apart for 6 months and then look for a 1 bedroom, or less hassle to just go for 1 bed straightway furnished., can two people share a 1 bed studio? We do not want to waste money on 2 beds.
2. What’s a prudent price for a 1 bed apartment furnished in a nice area, it’s important that it’s nice and safe. Its important that I would feel ok with my wife being there alone sometimes, and she could walk to shops etc with no worries or hassle
3. When people say cheques, I think I can ask to pay monthly??, as it’s a buyers market now?. But if I arrive in Dubai how do I get a chequebook before I get an account opened at bank etc?
4. If I am bringing some money over when I move in Jan, how to do this, If I do not as yet have a Dubai based account?
5. I will be working in Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Attar Business Tower, what nice accommodation is close to there
6. This is important as I will not be driving ( I have full licence but hate to drive), as I will get taxi every day ( is this feasible)???
7. Also, the metro, is there somewhere I could live that I can get this to the above area? Or a area that the new lines will go through when they are ready?
8. My wife is a qualified primary school teacher and will aim to get a job in a private primary school next September ( I have some contacts through this job I may take) so I am sure she will get a place, what school location would be the best in terms of my question 5 for her to travel each day to work ( also by taxi or metro) there is no way she would drive here., just would scare her to much
9. is it ok for a woman to get a taxi by herself
10. if I went to pub and got taxi home, say I had a few pints in me ans was humming Danny boy, could taxi driver report me?

Thanks in advance to anyone who helps me

1. I am married, and will start in Jan if I take the job. My wife will not join me until later. Probably in summer but she will visit for a few weeks. Can I rent a nice furnished studio apart for 6 months and then look for a 1 bedroom, or less hassle to just go for 1 bed straightway furnished., can two people share a 1 bed studio? We do not want to waste money on 2 beds.

Short term leases aren't really worth is, as you'd be paying more in the long run. Better just to get a 1 bed apt from the start, also prices are very reasonable these days.

2. What’s a prudent price for a 1 bed apartment furnished in a nice area, it’s important that it’s nice and safe. Its important that I would feel ok with my wife being there alone sometimes, and she could walk to shops etc with no worries or hassle

Really depends where you want to live! Where is your compamy based and do you want to live close by? Or do you mind a commute? Dubai in general is safer than anywhere else in the world - you really don't have to worry too much.

3. When people say cheques, I think I can ask to pay monthly??, as it’s a buyers market now?. But if I arrive in Dubai how do I get a chequebook before I get an account opened at bank etc?

Monthly payment is being encouraged, but many landlords will still try and get you tp pay the year upfront. Although 4 to 6 cheques in the norm these days. In short you cannot get a bank account, cheque book etc etc until you have your residency visa. So your company might have to help you out in the interim. Ask for accomodation allowance upfront.

4. If I am bringing some money over when I move in Jan, how to do this, If I do not as yet have a Dubai based account?

You could use Western Union or money transfer serices. Keep your Irish accounts and withdraw money from them.

5. I will be working in Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Attar Business Tower, what nice accommodation is close to there

Have a look at the accomodation websites like Better Homes. You company should provide you with 30 days accomodation when you arrive, to give you a chance to find somewhere.

6. This is important as I will not be driving ( I have full licence but hate to drive), as I will get taxi every day ( is this feasible)???

Jesus - glutten for punishment or what! The taxis will drive you insane after a while. Exchange that licence for a UAE one and rent a car!!!

7. Also, the metro, is there somewhere I could live that I can get this to the above area? Or a area that the new lines will go through when they are ready?

8. My wife is a qualified primary school teacher and will aim to get a job in a private primary school next September ( I have some contacts through this job I may take) so I am sure she will get a place, what school location would be the best in terms of my question 5 for her to travel each day to work ( also by taxi or metro) there is no way she would drive here., just would scare her to much

Well unfortunately the driving can be hair rasing, but you just gotta suck it up and get stuck in! Public transport is not great.

9. is it ok for a woman to get a taxi by herself - YES

10. if I went to pub and got taxi home, say I had a few pints in me ans was humming Danny boy, could taxi driver report me?

Technically is you were hammered and made a problem of yourself yes. But I've never heard of it happening personally. Best thing to do is get a liquor licence.

1. Get a 1 br straight up. Its pretty reasonable nowadays.

2. Discovery gardens nice quite and safe residential block going for 45-50k for 1 br. Has a now very active bus service to the metro station and depending on where you live in it 2 stations are in walking distance plus mall and new outlets comming up.

3.Opening an account and C.book wont be much of a problem specially if your firm has good relations with the bank

4.A lot of options on this one.Or wait till you get and account and then move your dough.

5.JLT, JBR Marina, Gardens, Barsha, Um squiem, greens, springs

6. A lot of cabs but on the expensive side

7. See no 2

8. No idea

9. Yes

10. Depends on how batty you are and how much you offend the cabbie. The Law is you cannot be drunk in public. Getting pissed and back to your home without getting caught you'll have to ask the regular dunkards here on how they do it.

Thanks sooo much for your help so far!!,,

for the taxi ( at least until I take the plunge and get a banger to drive), would say a 100 AED daily taxi bill be a ball park from any of the locations you mentioned to Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Attar Business Tower,

and would metro station pass close to there?

Also any thoughts on the package they are offering me?

Well without knowing what you do, it's difficult to say if the package is ok.

well, its for one of the big 4 consultancy firms

Not what the firm does, but what your job title is!

Thanks for yoru Replies Chocoholic
say going from Discovery gardens to Trade centre tower area for example every day, how long would it take? and I am correct when I think the taxi charge by distance, not time?
also in discovery gardens for example, apart from teh really hot months, is it feasible to walk about loking at shops having dinner etc?, Is it possible to walk from there to the beach and relax, or would I be better to look for somewhere closer to beach for that?

Senior Manager

Well taxis do charge by distance, but because there are so many traffic jams, the meters do now tick over whilst they are sat idle aswell.

Discovery Gardens to Trade centre is quite a trek, maybe about 20 mins if the traffic is good, alot longer if it's bad.

I think your package is pretty good. Although you should ask the company to put you up in accomodation for 30 days when you arrive, to give you a achnce to find something.

Thanks Choco, I have been looking through this forum and you seem very helpul and know the score when it comes to latest market value for rent per location, and do not tolerate landlord chancers, so I will be asking you your opinion on that when I start to view!

I spend 2.5/3 hours per day going to work now in Ireland, Dublin Traffic is crazy in morning

I think this is my tradeoff, work location versus apartment location. I (we ) really want to be near the beach area and somewhere safe and can walk to shops, etc, so I think D Gardens ( or somewhere close) may be only option?, I can see International City etc is closer to where I would be working, but no beach etc?, also rents are coming down so I can get something decsnt in Dis gardens, It will be a 1 bed furnished I will be looking, not on ground floor etc, gym, pool and all the rest. I think max 45-75K AED per year?

er I wouldn't call DG THAT close to the beach. But yeah closer than International City. You can get some good deals there at the moment. But yeah you need to stick to your guns over payments and price, landlords can be haggled down these days. If you can, try and deal with a landlord direct, instead of using an agent as many are complete nightmares and charge for basicall doing nothing.

thks. how far would DG be from beach?
The firm said the would help with the agent, so hope thats ok, but will see closer to time, will push for 30 days in hotel with company.
So where would be close to beach and nice?, Its for myself and my wife to have a nice walk after work and weekends.
Also any good links to the metro and websites with maps, does the metro pass by D gardens etc, would i be able to get metro to work?
have you used the metro?

Well JBR is probably closest to the beach to be honest.

Haven't used the metro yet, it's not really convenient for me, plus I'll wait a while till all the joyriders have had their fill.