# Housing Allowance vs Relocation



## KRS1 (Apr 14, 2015)

Hi all

Need a bit of help, and I am sorry if you have heard this a million times before.

I am looking to move to Dubai and have got the ball rolling, hopefully will be having interview in place soon (over skype). These would be at a law firm in marketing.

However the recruiter has mention monthly salaries of 25k Dirhams, however this would include relocation costs. There has been no mention of this housing allowance that I have heard going around. Is there a difference?

She did mention that the firm will pay my 1 years rent in advance but payment will be coming out of my pay (similar to a season ticket loan back home) each month.


Now considering this is the salary still a good package? Other stuff that is included is a flight home and health insurance.

Thanks for the help, if you want to ask questions please let me know.

Thanks in advance


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## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

25K is not bad, but do you have a family ? are there kids at school ? 

The housing allowance would be included in your package, like for instance : 10K basic salary + 5K transportation + 10K housing.

This is a trick companies here follow to decrease your end of service benefits.


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## KRS1 (Apr 14, 2015)

Hi Abbass,

No family what so ever. Just me!!

So I should go back to the recruiter and find out the base in the future.

Thanks for that


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

More and more companies are shifting to a lump sum package, where they give you the money at the end of each month and it's up to you to spend it as you wish. Sometimes the entire package is treated as your base for EOS purposes, as it is at my company (only the transportation is separated out). Other times it's officially broken down into components including housing and a base. 

When the recruiter quotes you a figure like 25K he/she is probably referring to the total package value. For someone in a lower to mid level marketing position at a professional services firm this seems to be the going rate. 

25K for a single person in his/her 20s is a perfectly good package in Dubai. The reason the company is offering the housing allowance component upfront is because rents in Dubai are paid in 1-4 cheques, with more desirable properties asking 1 cheque. It's great, but the disadvantage is that if you leave midway through a year, you will be liable for the remainder of the rent advance and will need to pay this back to the company.


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## A.Abbass (Jun 28, 2014)

What TallyHo mentioned is correct, also by searching the forums here you would find a couple of cases where things didn't go well and they had to leave Dubai with liabilities. 

You would find plenty of apartments accepting 4 cheques, actually when I tried to offer my landlord 2 cheques instead of 4 and get a discount they refused, they are also comfortable with 4 cheques.

With your package you can rent a nice studio/1 bedroom apartment, live comfortably and save.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Marketing manager/marketing executive, then 25k is around the going rate for respectable positions. If it's a more senior postion and you'll be heading up a team then it's low. Away from the job, it's good wage to live a comfortable life and save some too, especially if you're single.

The fact they're willing to pay 1 years rent upfront is a good thing and shows they are both making an investment in you and willing to shoulder the burden of a move to the UAE. Flight home and health insurance is standard.

From the limited information here, it's looks good. Congratulations.


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## KRS1 (Apr 14, 2015)

Thank you guys!

The more I think about it the more is seems a viable move. In the UK you would be taking home about 14k dirhams a month and that does not include rent. 

It seems to be a bit of a no brainier really! 

Btw I'm 33, slow starter, but if I do move, the girlfriend would move down later a look for a job. 

All look good!!


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## submit712 (3 mo ago)

Hello people, Any info on dnata data analyst positions salary (in 2022) for candidate with 7 years of experience?


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