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hey everyone,

I am a single 23 year old Sydney girl with a Dubai job offer on the table. In your experience, would this be a good idea? (I know it's fine for women to go with their partners.)

Dubai sounds fantastic - what's cost of living like, and the weather? Are there certain areas where young expats live and frequent? Is there really going to be massive cultural issues there. Do they make women wear head scarfs?

Do most expats learn arabic? What's the catch with the tax situation?

So many questions!

hope to hear from you soon,

kat

Kat,

I am almost in the same position as you. I too have a job offer on the table. I am just waiting to find out meself if i going or not. For me, it's a tax free package and i believe it should be the same for you.

It's kinda hard to try and find out where to live and what it's gonna cost, i think it depends on where ya wanna live and if you want to share or not!

I am currently in Hong Kong, could be out this weekend for an interview, just waiting to find out.

It does seem like a helluva place with 4/5's of the population being expat in one form or another!

What you gonna be doing in Dubai?

Let's have a go here:

1. cost of living = depends on your standard. everyone is looking for something, but if i were to put something rough I'd say = studio, 1 bedroom can go avg. 35-45k aed per year. you'll find a bit lower and a bit higher. if its too expensive ppl tend to live in neighbouring city sharjah which is about 15-20minutes from the center of dubai except traffic can be a hassle.

2. weather = it is great in the winter with temps about 15+ celsius. we are in the middle east so you have to know the summers are really hot and humid also reaching 45-50celsius or more. on the plus side you have to note you could spend all day indoors where everything is airconditioned so its only the distance between your building and a car/taxi that you have to worry about

3. young expats live everywhere. there are some communities but i'd say anywhere really. again this is preference. you can go to real-estate agencies as soon as you arrive to hook you up with tours of whats available and meet your budget.

4. massive cultural issues not really. Women arent forced to do anything here. There is only one month of ramadan where you arent allowed to eat until the fast is over but thats about it. Truthfully you'll find the night scene here as enjoyable if not more then in europe and north america.

5. some expats learn arabic but most just get by with a few words. The whole city can speak and understand english except for a few I'd say. so you are safe .

6. There are no taxes here. everything you buy has a 4-5% tax already included in the price and its still much cheaper for items here then it is in other parts of the world.

Finally just remember that Dubai is the most westernized city in the middle east. You will see it as a very multi-cultural environment.

I think thats it.

Cheers,

D

D,

cheers for the reply. Living in HK i am kinda used to the high temperatures and very high humidity. Just a side note: according to Dubai Gov, it has never gone above 45 deg? hahahahahahahahaha Thats when everyone stops working NO? or is it 50?

Certainly a Studio/1 bed would suite me, but I am open to sharing as well. Just depends where i am gonna be working. Not sure, could be 1 of two locations. Also looking to possible get a car as well.

damnnn 35-45 k for a studio or one bedroom wat you renting a palace man??? i can get you a studio starting from 6 or 7k for the amount you quoted damnn i could probably get a 4 bedroom apartment. and one thing dont ever go to real estate cause here you can deal directly with the landlord an thats the best . why is it the best? cause you can develope an relationship wit the landlord an get to know them so when time comes for rent increament he spares your ass..

i mean da nigga ISH is staying in a 4 bedroom apartment with his entire family ( that means bout 15 ppl ) and they paying less then 30k and nahhh i aint joking serious bout that..

and well i dont know why yyou are all thinking about the job offers so hard cause the offers didnt come to you. you all went after them why cause you need them cause situations in other parts of the world are getting tough.. so when you in need dont say u want the hand when you being given the figner jst grap at anything..cause you need it.

Jamal,

D quoted 35-45K PER YEAR, not per month! So where do we get to see these flats for Rent in Dubai directly by the Landlords? Where do they advertise, how to get in contact with them?

Actually, the job came to me, for a change. I was not even looking! HK is probs one of the safer places to be right now. We have BIG Mother watching over us and she won't let anyhting happen to us in HK.

Jamal wrote:damnnn 35-45 k for a studio or one bedroom wat you renting a palace man??? i can get you a studio starting from 6 or 7k for the amount you quoted damnn i could probably get a 4 bedroom apartment. and one thing dont ever go to real estate cause here you can deal directly with the landlord an thats the best . why is it the best? cause you can develope an relationship wit the landlord an get to know them so when time comes for rent increament he spares your a#s..

i mean da nigga ISH is staying in a 4 bedroom apartment with his entire family ( that means bout 15 ppl ) and they paying less then 30k and nahhh i aint joking serious bout that..

and well i dont know why yyou are all thinking about the job offers so hard cause the offers didnt come to you. you all went after them why cause you need them cause situations in other parts of the world are getting tough.. so when you in need dont say u want the hand when you being given the figner jst grap at anything..cause you need it.

I would say Dubai is safer then HK in my opinion

Cheers,

D

Hopefully I may find out first hand when I get there!

the rents i quoted were not per month i mean damnn yea we do got alot of oil here but we dont make millions i meant per year too

and well to get intouch with the landlords wat you do is drive around see a building you like go in it ask the watchman if they got any empty flats an if yes ask for the landlords 7 digits an holla at him

simplistic shit u feel me

an ohh hell yea dubai is better its still not as populated like hk i mean hk competing with bombay

and another thing we have been lately getting chinnese ppl coming to uae

Jamal wrote:the rents i quoted were not per month i mean damnn yea we do got alot of oil here but we dont make millions i meant per year too

and well to get intouch with the landlords wat you do is drive around see a building you like go in it ask the watchman if they got any empty flats an if yes ask for the landlords 7 digits an holla at him

simplistic shit u feel me

an ohh hell yea dubai is better its still not as populated like hk i mean hk competing with bombay

and another thing we have been lately getting chinnese ppl coming to uae

Cheers, I guess it's something (driving around) that can only be done once ya there! Something to look forward to, I suppose. But it's nice to know what the going rates are, so you can judge the flat and negotiate if ya have to.

Yes, there a number of large Chinese Contractor's coming to UAE to work. They are also bringing over local chinese to do most of the work as well. I have heard some horror stories about them!