Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Working in Dubai

Dubai is an expensive city and cost of living is hire here. The tips you have enclosed in your post are

very helping to people who are wondering for a convenient place to live.

But if we compare with the other region like sharjah, ras-al kheimah, abudhabi, which one is the money saving.

Yes EIU is one of the most accurate cost of living information I have found. If you cannot afford to buy a full report from the EIU, check salaryexpectation's worldwide cost of living salary calculator as they use the EIU cost of living indices to calculate exactly how much you need to earn in Dubai to maintain or improve your standard of living.

Hi,

I'm new here. I'm an Speech Therapist currently living in NYC. I have been offered a job in Dubai working at a pediatric medical center. The package is all inclusive, base salary, annual flight home, housing allowance. In addition, the employer is paying for most expenses associated with obtaining my professional license/work visa, as well as handling the process... They offered me AED 15,000/month... Is this a comparable salary for a speech therapist in Dubai? I have 3 years experience... Single, no kids... I've done some research and some of the other speech therapy jobs were offering less than that... So in total that AED 180,000... Is that livable for a single female in Dubai? I would appreciate any advice...

Also, is it possible to pick up work on the side? Here in the US you can have a salaried job and still see private clients on the side and charge an hourly rate... Is that legal in Dubai?

One things for sure - I can see the cost of living rising here by the day...

Hello People,How are you doing?

I completed my MBA in 2012 and have exactly 1 year of work experience. I recently got a job offer from a company in Dubai. The role is in sales. I was offered a salary of 5,000 AED per month. I would really like to know if this is a decent salary enough to live with. But before you type in your replies, I would like to give you some information about me:

1. I'm a bachelor. I will be looking for a bachelor or a sharing accommodation. (No plans of getting married any time soon). Btw, Would be awesome if anyone could suggest any good websites to search for accommodation.

2. Since I've recently started my career, I'm currently not looking for any savings. I believe that the company that I would be joining, if I accept the offer, would have great growth prospects and I'm sure that I can start much more maybe 2 or 3 years down the line. So like i said, I'm not looking to save much. (maybe 500 to 1000 AED per month should be more than enough). Since the industry as well as the company seem to be good, all I'm looking to do is to gain an entry in to this field. Can think about the money part later on once I establish and prove myself.

3. My main expenditure would be on accommodation & utilities, food, internet & TV (if not included in the accommodation), Gym and maybe going out once a week or less.Taking these points into consideration, do you think a 5,000 AED per month is enough to live with? The only point that I'm thinking about is that even if I do not manage much savings, I should not be in such a position that I end asking my parents to send me some money.

Any opinions / ideas / suggestions / comments would be really helpful.
Thanks in Advance, Sukhi

expatSLP ,Hi..
I think for single lady 15000 is good enough to start a career in new country. You can live comfortable lifestyle with saving in this salary. Regarding part time, if you have confidential clients you can take care otherwise it is not legal to look after the job.

Hi everybody! Maybe this info will be usefull for someone who wants to live and work in Dubai!

Restaurants Median Range

Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant 29.99 AED 20.00 40.00
Meal for 2, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course 150.00 AED 100.00 200.00
Combo Meal at McDonalds or Similar 20.01 AED 18.00 25.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter draught) 35.00 AED 20.00 40.00
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 30.00 AED 23.87 36.73
Cappuccino (regular) 15.00 AED 11.02 18.36
Coke/Pepsi (0.33 liter bottle) 1.50 AED 1.50 2.00
Water (0.33 liter bottle) 1.00 AED 1.00 2.00
Markets [Edit] Median
Milk (regular), (1 liter) 5.50 AED 4.62 6.00
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (500g) 4.02 AED 3.50 5.00
Rice (white), (1kg) 5.50 AED 4.00 8.00
Eggs (12) 9.00 AED 7.00 12.00
Local Cheese (1kg) 30.00 AED 24.09 50.00
Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1kg) 24.00 AED 18.36 30.00
Apples (1kg) 8.00 AED 7.50 10.00
Oranges (1kg) 7.00 AED 5.00 10.00
Tomato (1kg) 5.00 AED 4.00 9.00
Potato (1kg) 4.00 AED 3.00 5.00
Lettuce (1 head) 5.00 AED 3.00 6.24
Water (1.5 liter bottle) 2.00 AED 1.50 3.00
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) 74.23 AED 50.00 90.66
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) 27.19 AED 20.00 35.00
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle) 25.00 AED 20.00 35.00
Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) 9.00 AED 8.00 10.00

Transportation Median
One-way Ticket (Local Transport) 4.96 AED 4.00 5.80
Monthly Pass (Regular Price) 200.00 AED 150.00 300.00
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) 3.50 AED 3.00 8.00
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) 1.66 AED 1.50 2.50
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) 30.00 AED 30.00 60.00
Gasoline (1 liter) 1.72 AED 1.72 1.86
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) 70,000.00 AED 57,000.00 75,000.00

Utilities (Monthly) Median
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Water, Garbage) for 85m2 Apartment 500.00 AED 400.00 637.50
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) 0.30 AED 0.30 0.55
Internet (6 Mbps, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) 250.00 AED 200.00 300.00

Sports And Leisure Median
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 358.65 AED 300.00 400.00
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) 75.00 AED 50.00 110.19
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat 35.00 AED 35.00 40.18

Clothing And Shoes Median
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) 276.50 AED 150.00 350.00
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) 180.00 AED 125.00 250.00
1 Pair of Nike Shoes 300.00 AED 250.00 400.00
1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes 358.65 AED 257.11 425.00

Rent Per Month Median
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre 6,000.00 AED 4,500.00 7,000.00
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre 3,500.00 AED 2,900.00 4,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre 11,500.00 AED 8,333.00 14,000.00
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre 8,000.00 AED 6,000.00 10,000.00

Buy Apartment Price Median
Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment in City Centre 16,072.93 AED 12,916.69 20,000.00
Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre 9,305.56 AED 8,080.60 11,070.04

Salaries And Financing Median
Average Monthly Disposable Salary (After Tax) 12,000.00 AED 8,000.00 17,150.00
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly 6.00 5.00 7.00
These data are based on 2657 entries in the past 18 months from 390 different contributors.

Last update: January, 2014
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/city_result.jsp?country=United+Arab+Emirates&city=Dubai

This table can help to count your future expenses. Also it is good because it shows not only average rates but the range of prices of different goods and servises )))

raintear ,Thank you so much for sharing in detail.

very helpful thread

My brother is moving to Dubai soon this post will definitely help him, Thank you for this detailed post.

Regards.

This is really great, I have a question How much AED is needed to live simply as a bachelor in Dubai without any extra expenses.

Ok I had a look through the table (from numbeo.com) above and agree with all except one figure , which is the last...

Average disposable income, this seems in the current economy to be very very high. Personally I earn a fair salary, but don't have anywhere near that figure left at the end of the month.

Also what you need to bear in mind is that the data which is provided comes from on-line questionnaires, this is dependent on the number of people that take the survey and what they earn. The larger the sample, the more accurate the data.

If 5 General Managers of large companies were the only people to submit data then it is not a true reflection of the situation. Additionally many low wage earners simply don't have access to the internet and probably wouldn't be bothered in completing the survey in any case.

Hello people im after a little info like all people
Iv been asked to provide my expectations of a salery including housing and transport I have 2 children 1 is 17 and the other is 9 I work in the rail industry as a machine operator what im getting at is what sort of gross salary should I be looking at many thank

First off make a list of all your major expenses.

Housing - you would probably need a 2br villa at minimum (I am assuming that there are 4 of you). The price of villas differs quite drastically depending on where you stay, try and find out where exactly you be working and the closest residential area. People do commute to work from cheaper residential areas, but depending on where exactly the two this can take hours of your day and elevate your blood pressure.

Depending on where you stay you will need a car and may need a second car for your wife.

Schooling for 2 children is not cheap - especially as they may be at different schools because of the age difference. When getting prices for schooling also consider the "hidden costs", fees normally exclude the following, books, transport, extramural activities, outings etc.

You don't mention whether your oldest child is male or female. If you have a son, unless they are specifically enrolled in a university in the UAE after their 21st birthday they can no longer be on your sponsorship (does not apply to female dependents).

Lastly, I couldn't help you with an estimate on salary, at present in the UAE there is no rail industry to speak of, besides possibly the metro system.

Sometimes the best thing to do is ask them what their are prepared to pay, as you are not familiar with the local cost of living expenses. Then add at least 30% to the figure and go back with a counter offer. All employers are going to try and get the best deal for themselves. If you get an offer then come back to me and I can help you put it context; it is very difficult without having enough detail to work with.

Thanks for the reply I have 2 girls. From what your saying children stay in school till there 21. I have asked for a specific location and im waiting for a reply many thanks for you reply
Alan

Hi there. Its with regards to sponsorship of dependents. Normally children finish school at about 17 or 18 years here.

Males under the sponsorship of their parent have to leave the country on turning 21, or have to find work and sponsor themselves, or be enrolled in a tertiary institution (with the relevant visa).

Female dependents (daughters) can stay on under your sponsorship until they are married.

The Post is indeed helpful for newbies, but I feel to add some other costs along with the basic necessities of life like Education costs. Education which is a vital part of everyone's life becomes an issue when it comes to UAE. But some days back, i saw a Blog post on an Off-shore company's page which unveiled solution of this problem. The post discussed If you from any other Country living in UAE as a foreigner, there is a solution to this Problem. Most Asian and European countries have established schools with collaboration of their embassies to provide quality education at economical rates to their citizens working over seas.

Nice post. Really helpful. Thanks

Thanks a lot... Great info.

Excellent post... thanks for this information
according to you living in Dubai is expensive.

dbxsoul ,For your day to day work and business related inquiry check Yellowpages.ae. There you will get businesses and UAE companies details and their contact numbers.

Thanks for sharing this useful information with us.
Really nice and helpful.

Working in Dubai is Great and wonderful experience

Nice post, Very helpful
what about AbuDhabi accommodations?

Thanks