# How much money is a sufficiant amount to live on in Dubai.



## lauren99 (Apr 8, 2010)

So just looking on some job sites in Dubai and wondering what salary i need to be looking at to be able to live comfortably?

I would be looking at getting rent paid for by sponsorship as i know that can be a BIG killer so really just want to know what everyone else thinks is a good amount.

Thanks all

Lauren


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## marc (Mar 10, 2008)

Rent is the main issue after that you need to think about what kind of lifestyle you want?

you can of 10,000 AED per month or 100,000 AED per month?


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

it depends what does "comfort" mean to you: drive any car or drive Ferrari or Range Rover, eat in McDonalds or cook at home or eat in Burj Al Arab, dressing up in Splash or Rodeo Drive, spending weekends on the public beach or fly to Beirut, doing manicure at home or going weekly to beauty salon, etc etc


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Depends what line of work you're in, but if you can get rent paid for you, I'd be looking at a minimum of AED 15,000 per month. You'll be able to live on less but I wouldn't be looking to accept anything less as a 'westerner'.


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## Curwen (Jul 30, 2009)

With the exception of rent, are there any cost of living differences in Abu Dhabi? (as most of the information available tends to relate to Dubai).


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

Gavtek said:


> Depends what line of work you're in, but if you can get rent paid for you, I'd be looking at a minimum of AED 15,000 per month. You'll be able to live on less but I wouldn't be looking to accept anything less as a 'westerner'.


Spot on Gav ... plus as already intimated for a basic rental probably allow at least 100,000 from your employer sponsored housing (2 BR unit)... minimum


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

Curwen said:


> With the exception of rent, are there any cost of living differences in Abu Dhabi? (as most of the information available tends to relate to Dubai).


Mainly rent being the issue from everything I have heard .... we had a guy at work that was thinking about going to AD but didn't because of the worsened rent situation there !!


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## hakeemdxb (Apr 19, 2010)

I think the minimum that you would require if living alone would be something between 15,000 to 20,000. You can rent an apartment for 4k to 5k per month. Clubbing in dubai would cost you 100 to 200 per night ( being a female it would be much less) . Grocery would be 500 - 800 per week , utility and Internet is cheap here - Travelling cost depend on you . If you buy a car , then you pay monthly installments with fuel or you could simply use the public transport which is cheap.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Curwen said:


> With the exception of rent, are there any cost of living differences in Abu Dhabi? (as most of the information available tends to relate to Dubai).


Just the cost of your sanity at spending most of your life in a traffic jam.


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## Fatenhappy (Jun 23, 2009)

_"... Grocery would be *500 - 800 per week* ..."_ 

We live fairly well ..... but thats a pretty serious grocery bill just for one person ....


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## Helios (Oct 22, 2008)

Fatenhappy said:


> We live fairly well ..... but thats a pretty serious grocery bill just for one person ....


I second that


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## hakeemdxb (Apr 19, 2010)

Fatenhappy said:


> _"... Grocery would be *500 - 800 per week* ..."_
> 
> We live fairly well ..... but thats a pretty serious grocery bill just for one person ....


come over to my apartment sometime and you'll know where the 500 - 800 goes


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## jander13 (Mar 12, 2009)

> utility and Internet is cheap here


are we talking about the same Dubai? internet is far from cheap and i wouldn't say utility is cheap either


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## hakeemdxb (Apr 19, 2010)

Oh , I am sorry for that statement , was browsing through ISPs of other countries , They are much cheaper .


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## Ashleymg (Apr 4, 2010)

Gavtek said:


> Just the cost of your sanity at spending most of your life in a traffic jam.


Hi Gavtek, 

Just looking through old posts, im slightly worried now, I will only be earning around 10,000 dirhams a month, now i am starting to panic that I wont be able to afford to eat lol rent and bills are paid for me so only have to pay for cable/internet and groceries, are basic groceries really that expensive?

Thanks


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

No mate, for 1 person you should easily be able to live on a 3-400 shop a week. Easily.


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## Ashleymg (Apr 4, 2010)

Andy Capp said:


> No mate, for 1 person you should easily be able to live on a 3-400 shop a week. Easily.


lol thank goodness was startin to freak out a wee bit there! so i guess there are just regular supermarkets n stuff about then?


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Yeah, the cheapest (and in my opinion best) is usually Union Co-Op, it's where the locals shop and is usually the cheapest and freshest. The "westernised" ones - Spinney's, Geant, Carrefour I think are more expensive.


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## Ashleymg (Apr 4, 2010)

Andy Capp said:


> Yeah, the cheapest (and in my opinion best) is usually Union Co-Op, it's where the locals shop and is usually the cheapest and freshest. The "westernised" ones - Spinney's, Geant, Carrefour I think are more expensive.


Thanks Andy. also I will need to get some new clothes for work when I get there (Plus im a gal who likes to shop  ) but are there stores where I can go that are more high street and less designer?

Sorry for the random questions!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Ashleymg said:


> Thanks Andy. also I will need to get some new clothes for work when I get there (Plus im a gal who likes to shop  ) but are there stores where I can go that are more high street and less designer?
> 
> Sorry for the random questions!


Well it's got to be said, i'm not in the habit of going shopping for women's clothes so....

There's a M&S here, also a BHS plus all the usual suspects, however the prices here (at bhs/m&s) are more expensive than UK.

Don't worry though, in no time you'll have found your feet and you'll be just fine.

What is it you're coming over here to do?


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## Ashleymg (Apr 4, 2010)

Ha! sorry bout that, just meant are there chains which I could find here, ill know soon enough when I arrive 

Coming over to teach in an international primary school, there are no teaching jobs in Scotland so thought might as well take the plunge and move away! Just nervous I suppose, was hoping to do some saving while im in Dubai but thinking the cost of living is a lot higher than I originally thought!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Well being Glaswegian you'll want a drink or 7....

Seriously though, if your rent etc. is paid for, you can happily live on AED10k, you just have to watch where you go, loads of special offers for ladies here in the bars etc. Also when you hook up with your workmates, they'll know their way around too.

Get a time out dubai card too, you'll save 20% in loads of places.

Welcome and enjoy, although you wont know what's hit you when you get off the plane. August is hot!!!!


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## Ashleymg (Apr 4, 2010)

Andy Capp said:


> Well being Glaswegian you'll want a drink or 7....
> 
> Seriously though, if your rent etc. is paid for, you can happily live on AED10k, you just have to watch where you go, loads of special offers for ladies here in the bars etc. Also when you hook up with your workmates, they'll know their way around too.
> 
> ...


Haha! Ive heard! Im stocking up on factor 50, especially being a weegie 

Thanks for advice, Ill be sure to get time out card straight after I recover from being exposed to sunlight for the first time in months


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Ashleymg said:


> Thanks Andy. also I will need to get some new clothes for work when I get there (Plus im a gal who likes to shop  ) but are there stores where I can go that are more high street and less designer?
> 
> Sorry for the random questions!


Just about every UK high street chain is here, Next, Debenhams, New Look, Top Shop, River Island, etc, etc. They often have good sales on too!


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