The cost of Living in Dubai

[AB1]

negotiating salary and perks

Hello all!


I am a 36 yr old female from the U.S. and am looking at accepting a VP position over Sustainable Resources for a firm in Dubai.

1- As I read the answers that have been given, I am understanding that for some positions housing, medical and other expenses are provided, on top of the base salary. Is this correct?

2- As a single, anglo-saxon female, where is the safest/best location for me to consider living?

3- Currently the company is offering 42,000 AED/month...(no additional perks). I wish to negotiate for additions such as living arrangements. Is this acceptable in Dubai? Or is the amount of salary enough for me to live comfortably on?

All the best!
AB1

 

[georgihh]

Hello all!


I am a 36 yr old female from the U.S. and am looking at accepting a VP position over Sustainable Resources for a firm in Dubai.

1- As I read the answers that have been given, I am understanding that for some positions housing, medical and other expenses are provided, on top of the base salary. Is this correct?

2- As a single, anglo-saxon female, where is the safest/best location for me to consider living?

3- Currently the company is offering 42,000 AED/month...(no additional perks). I wish to negotiate for additions such as living arrangements. Is this acceptable in Dubai? Or is the amount of salary enough for me to live comfortably on?

All the best!
AB1

IT depends on your standard of living. Dubai is becoming cheaper day by day and at the moment, I say is 30% more expensive than USA

 

[AB1]

Thank you georgihh!

My standard of living is high.

I wish to have membership to a beach club. I wish to have a gym in which to exercise. Plenty of cash to save and purchase a house in Turkey.
I wish to live in a safe, upscale area of town, and have a Mercedes/BMW.

With such a lifestyle, would I be negotiating for say 60-70000 AED/month?

Thanks

AB1

 

[georgihh]

Thank you georgihh!

My standard of living is high.

I wish to have membership to a beach club. I wish to have a gym in which to exercise. Plenty of cash to save and purchase a house in Turkey.
I wish to live in a safe, upscale area of town, and have a Mercedes/BMW.

With such a lifestyle, would I be negotiating for say 60-70000 AED/month?

Thanks

AB1

I think 42000 should be Ok, but if you ask for 60k-70k you can’t go wrong.
Any way how much can you get in USA?

 

[AB1]

georghhi...

I thinking about their offer.... and re-reading some of the posts in regards to 'standard of living', I am going to ask for 80,000 AED/mo.

With that being said, is it appropriate to negotiate for housing, medical etc. on top of a base of 80,000 AED/mo?

Thank you!

 

[georgihh]

georghhi...

I thinking about their offer.... and re-reading some of the posts in regards to 'standard of living', I am going to ask for 80,000 AED/mo.

With that being said, is it appropriate to negotiate for housing, medical etc. on top of a base of 80,000 AED/mo?

Thank you!

If you can get the same in USA you should ask for the double in UAE. That’s mean 80k.
Having in mind that the houses in Turkey are cheap you should be able to pay cash in 2-3 years.
I am also considering buying a house in Turkey – great place and still booming

 

[AB1]

If you can get the same in USA you should ask for the double in UAE. That’s mean 80k.
Having in mind that the houses in Turkey are cheap you should be able to pay cash in 2-3 years.
I am also considering buying a house in Turkey – great place and still booming

Wonderful! Thank you Georgihh

I am assume that 80,000 per month will allow me to live comfortably.
And yes, this is comparable to what I recieve in the U.S.

Question: What area is safe for a single woman to live?

Thank you!

 

[davidps]

Wonderful! Thank you Georgihh

I am assume that 80,000 per month will allow me to live comfortably.
And yes, this is comparable to what I recieve in the U.S.

Question: What area is safe for a single woman to live?

Thank you!

42k all-in will take you a long way, especially if you're single in Dubai. In fact, you can pretty much live a decent life on 15-20k if you're prudent with your spending, cook at home and not splash on champagne dinners every other night. Any area that a person with that kind of salary will be living in is safe. I'm pretty sure you're not going anywhere near the poorer sides of Karama and Deira, heck, even International City is safe.

 

[AB1]

42k all-in will take you a long way, especially if you're single in Dubai. In fact, you can pretty much live a decent life on 15-20k if you're prudent with your spending, cook at home and not splash on champagne dinners every other night. Any area that a person with that kind of salary will be living in is safe. I'm pretty sure you're not going anywhere near the poorer sides of Karama and Deira, heck, even International City is safe.

Thank you Davidps!

I have heard from the company, and they will agree to 80,000 AED/mo. Now I am negotiating the finer points of the contract.

Good to hear that I can live most anywhere and that it will be safe for a woman. Must say that this is rare in most cities...so Dubai is a winner in this department!

Now to housing: 1- Question...I would rather rent a villa than a condo. What websites list property for rent in Dubai?

2- Question: What about night life? Are woman restricted in clothing when going out at night? I do understand that clothing must be "tasteful"....what I am asking is, will I put myself in danger if I show my shoulders at night in a club?

I never wish to be disrespectful to the culture....just looking for guidance...

 

[AB1]

Another quick question regarding culture...

Regarding the Myth & Truth of UAE culture.....

Is it true that as a Western woman, I must walk behind the men by 5 feet?

Sorry to ask....just attempting to understand my potential new country.

Thank you.

AB1

 

[davidps]

Thank you Davidps!

I have heard from the company, and they will agree to 80,000 AED/mo. Now I am negotiating the finer points of the contract.

Good to hear that I can live most anywhere and that it will be safe for a woman. Must say that this is rare in most cities...so Dubai is a winner in this department!

Now to housing: 1- Question...I would rather rent a villa than a condo. What websites list property for rent in Dubai?

2- Question: What about night life? Are woman restricted in clothing when going out at night? I do understand that clothing must be "tasteful"....what I am asking is, will I put myself in danger if I show my shoulders at night in a club?

I never wish to be disrespectful to the culture....just looking for guidance...

1) This is entirely up to you. Usual pros and cons apply (eg. big garden good for bbqs but pain in the a** to water etc).

2) Haha there's no 'danger' if you're wearing revealing clothing, apart from a look here and there plus a potential fine from the police. But that's if you're wearing a 2-inch skirt and a see-through top - open shoulders are ok. Basically, go out one night in a 'safe' attire and see what everyone else wears. Check out www.dubizzle.com for rentals. Also, there's probably lots of pics from nightclubs as well.

EDIT: Yeah, it's true about the 5 feet rule. Most women stick to 6-7 just to be safe - you if accidentally cross that invisible barrier, sirens go off and you're escorted to a dungeon where you will be given 1001 lashes as punishment.

 

[AB1]

1) This is entirely up to you. Usual pros and cons apply (eg. big garden good for bbqs but pain in the a** to water etc).

2) Haha there's no 'danger' if you're wearing revealing clothing, apart from a look here and there plus a potential fine from the police. But that's if you're wearing a 2-inch skirt and a see-through top - open shoulders are ok. Basically, go out one night in a 'safe' attire and see what everyone else wears. Check out Dubai Property for Sale and Rent, Jobs in Dubai, Dubai Classifieds for rentals. Also, there's probably lots of pics from nightclubs as well.

EDIT: Yeah, it's true about the 5 feet rule. Most women stick to 6-7 just to be safe - you if accidentally cross that invisible barrier, sirens go off and you're escorted to a dungeon where you will be given 1001 lashes as punishment.

Davidps!

You are a great!

Thank you for the smile! Sorry, just too accustomed to visits to Iran and Afganistan...so trying to figure out UAE.... Thank you for putting me at ease! You are wonderful!

How do I PM you? ---so that I do not take up too much space on this topic?

Seems like you are very accustomed to the way of life in Dubai....and I wish to know more before taking the "plunge".

 

[AB1]

Davidps!

I just looked at "Dubai Property for Sale and Rent, Jobs in Dubai, Dubai Classified...YES!!! This is exactly what I was looking fo!! Thank you!

You know your stuff David! From where do you hail?

AB1

 

[michaelB]

Recruiter Recommendation

There are 2 job postings for the same position in Dubai.

The first posting is from Akshay.
The second posting is from OIT Overseas Information Technology.

How would I determine which company to use?
How can I find out the reputations of each company?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Big_B]

Hi all,

I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with

1. Do you know what the the salary band is for a Business Analyst in the financial sector with 2.5 years experience?

2. Having looked through all 12 pages, I've come up with the following monthly expenses, are they correct? (Some like entertainment are a guess...)

Rent........................AED 9,166.67 (110'000 per annum)
Utilities....................AED 1,000.00
Car Expenses.........AED 2,000.00
Internet / Phone.....AED 250.00
Insurance ...............AED 190.00
Medical Aid.............??
Groceries................AED 2,500.00
Entertainment........AED 1,000.00

This come to a total of 16k per month and yet I've seen posts warning about min 30k per month - any ideas of where I've gone wrong?

Edit: Sorry, forgot to add:

I'm a single guy with no family or kids and no expectation of having them any time soon. As such, a decent one bedroom apartment would be great.

The company will be based in Internet City (don't know where that is) and so would like to be close to that as I really don't enjoy traffic at all.

A smallish car would also be fine (e.g. Mazda 2 and upwards) but nothing cr4p like a Fiat Uno...

I would like to be able to go out to dinner or clubbing a couple of times a month but nothing too hectic or expensive....

*End of edit.

Thanks in advance.
Big_B

 

[TommyC]

Hi all,

I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with

1. Do you know what the the salary band is for a Business Analyst in the financial sector with 2.5 years experience?

2. Having looked through all 12 pages, I've come up with the following monthly expenses, are they correct? (Some like entertainment are a guess...)

Rent........................AED 9,166.67 (110'000 per annum)
Utilities....................AED 1,000.00
Car Expenses.........AED 2,000.00
Internet / Phone.....AED 250.00
Insurance ...............AED 190.00
Medical Aid.............??
Groceries................AED 2,500.00
Entertainment........AED 1,000.00

This come to a total of 16k per month and yet I've seen posts warning about min 30k per month - any ideas of where I've gone wrong?

Edit: Sorry, forgot to add:

I'm a single guy with no family or kids and no expectation of having them any time soon. As such, a decent one bedroom apartment would be great.

The company will be based in Internet City (don't know where that is) and so would like to be close to that as I really don't enjoy traffic at all.

A smallish car would also be fine (e.g. Mazda 2 and upwards) but nothing cr4p like a Fiat Uno...

I would like to be able to go out to dinner or clubbing a couple of times a month but nothing too hectic or expensive....

*End of edit.

Thanks in advance.
Big_B

Sounds about right to me, entertainment expenses will prob be a bit more tho as the minimum entrance is AED 100 and a beer AED 35, but I guess that comes down to you

 

[georgihh]

Hi all,

I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with

1. Do you know what the the salary band is for a Business Analyst in the financial sector with 2.5 years experience?

2. Having looked through all 12 pages, I've come up with the following monthly expenses, are they correct? (Some like entertainment are a guess...)

Rent........................AED 9,166.67 (110'000 per annum)
Utilities....................AED 1,000.00
Car Expenses.........AED 2,000.00
Internet / Phone.....AED 250.00
Insurance ...............AED 190.00
Medical Aid.............??
Groceries................AED 2,500.00
Entertainment........AED 1,000.00

This come to a total of 16k per month and yet I've seen posts warning about min 30k per month - any ideas of where I've gone wrong?

Edit: Sorry, forgot to add:

I'm a single guy with no family or kids and no expectation of having them any time soon. As such, a decent one bedroom apartment would be great.

The company will be based in Internet City (don't know where that is) and so would like to be close to that as I really don't enjoy traffic at all.

A smallish car would also be fine (e.g. Mazda 2 and upwards) but nothing cr4p like a Fiat Uno...

I would like to be able to go out to dinner or clubbing a couple of times a month but nothing too hectic or expensive....

*End of edit.

Thanks in advance.
Big_B

1, Salary from 2000$ to 20000$ a month
2. The why you think, you will spend no more than 1000$ for accommodation.
3000$ a month is OK for you still going to make 1000 DHS per month

 

[Big_B]

1, Salary from 2000$ to 20000$ a month
2. The why you think, you will spend no more than 1000$ for accommodation.
3000$ a month is OK for you still going to make 1000 DHS per month

Hi Georgihh,

Thanks for that info. Are you saying that the AED110k per annum is not high enough for rent or have I read it wrong?

Also, I'm potentially looking for about AED30k per month excl. accomodation - this seems to be the figure quoted around this and other sites...

 

[Big_B]

Hi all,

I've been lurking the forum for the past couple of days and have come up with a couple of questions that I was hoping you would be able to help with

1. Do you know what the the salary band is for a Business Analyst in the financial sector with 2.5 years experience?

2. Having looked through all 12 pages, I've come up with the following monthly expenses, are they correct? (Some like entertainment are a guess...)

Rent........................AED 9,166.67 (110'000 per annum)
Utilities....................AED 1,000.00
Car Expenses.........AED 2,000.00
Internet / Phone.....AED 250.00
Insurance ...............AED 190.00
Medical Aid.............??
Groceries................AED 2,500.00
Entertainment........AED 1,000.00

This come to a total of 16k per month and yet I've seen posts warning about min 30k per month - any ideas of where I've gone wrong?

Edit: Sorry, forgot to add:

I'm a single guy with no family or kids and no expectation of having them any time soon. As such, a decent one bedroom apartment would be great.

The company will be based in Internet City (don't know where that is) and so would like to be close to that as I really don't enjoy traffic at all.

A smallish car would also be fine (e.g. Mazda 2 and upwards) but nothing cr4p like a Fiat Uno...

I would like to be able to go out to dinner or clubbing a couple of times a month but nothing too hectic or expensive....

*End of edit.

Thanks in advance.
Big_B

Hey guys,

I'm back - been a while trying to get an offer from the company as they wanted to meet in person and so I had to wait for them to come to SA (I don't have cash to fly there...)

So it seems like either salaries have come down a lot or I'm not being offered that much

The offer stands at AED19k per month with approx. 66% being basic salary and the rest being accomodation and transport allowance i.e.:

Basic: 12500
Allowance: 6500

Based on the breakdown from my previous post above it means that I would clear about 3k per month...

So I'm just looking for a little adivce - are my original expenses still correct? In your exp. does this salary seem a little low?

Thanks again guys,
Big_b

 

[JamesBond007]

Hi to all,

I am new to this forum and the main driver is that I have an offer for Dubai.

They are offering all inclusive 45K AED/month. (Position is IT management related )

Have not got into the fine detail (insurance etc..) but roughly this is it.

I am married with 3 kids... doing a bit of research have left me wondering if this is still worth it and if the salary is adequate.

Can I get some guidance from you?

Thanks

James Bond