# Salary package - Opinions needed



## doggyy (Nov 26, 2016)

Hi everyone,

Your ideas are really needed as I have to reply the job offer tomorrow!!
Its a manager position in a bank. I have 12 years of experience in banking and I must say I have an over the average standard of life with what I earn now.
The offer in Dubai is a salary package of 35.000 AUD/month,medical ins. for both , 1 flight ticket per yea + bonus(it depend on my performance).We do not have a kid ,its just me and my wife.I don't know if it is a problem for the sponsorship but my wife is jewish.
We are planning to live around Marina or Palm Jumeriah with one bedroom flat.. Hopefully wish to buy a Porsche or a similar (still don't know if it is a good idea).Eat out once or twice a week.
And manage to save 4.000-5.000 usd per month.

We are so confused now really don't know what to do. I am sure you were all in my shoes before .. Need to hear your thoughts..

Thank you all in advance ..


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.
It would help greatly if you didn't mix your currencies!
Is it AED (normal way of stating UAE dirhams), AUD (Aussie dollars) or US dollars?
Cheers
Steve


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## doggyy (Nov 26, 2016)

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Welcome to the forum.
> It would help greatly if you didn't mix your currencies!
> Is it AED (normal way of stating UAE dirhams), AUD (Aussie dollars) or US dollars?
> ...


 thank you for the warning..
the offer is 35.000AED and target saving is 15.000-18.000 AED per month.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

35k is a decent package for a couple. If you want to save 15k a month and live off of 20 then you will not have a flash lifestyle (forget about the Porsche).

A 1 bedroom apartment in JLT or even the Marina in the cheaper buildings. Two decent meals out per week with minimal alcohol (if any). Groceries from Carrefour. Mild social life. A midrange Japanese car. Quiet but still comfortable. All that can be done for 20,000 a month. 

However, the temptation to spend more is very real. It's up to you to have the control to stick to a budget.


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## ThunderCat (Oct 28, 2015)

I don't believe 20K would suffice. The cheapest 1 BD flat in marina would cost at least 12K monthly (Rent, DEWA deposit, security deposit, agency fees, cooling if any, internet, TV, DEWA bills, furniture).

Grocery would run around 4K monthly. Outing twice a week 2K monthly (nothing lavish, just ordinary dinning). Petrol and a Toyota yaris 2K monthly. Your 20 is gone and we will assume you will never shop, buy any gadgets, clothes or travel anywhere or spend anything on entertainment.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

There's plenty of listings for 1-bedrooms in the Marina for 70-80K. Marina Diamonds etc. Those will have cooling included. Typical dewa bill + internet will probably be 1,000 a month altogether (500 for dewa, 500 for internet). Say it's 80k for the apartment, add another 12k for utilities/internet, total is 92K, or 7666 a month. A lot less than 12k a month you're claiming. 

All the other expenses you mentioned are one-off costs (deposits, agency fees, furniture). 



ThunderCat said:


> I don't believe 20K would suffice. The cheapest 1 BD flat in marina would cost at least 12K monthly (Rent, DEWA deposit, security deposit, agency fees, cooling if any, internet, TV, DEWA bills, furniture).
> 
> Grocery would run around 4K monthly. Outing twice a week 2K monthly (nothing lavish, just ordinary dinning). Petrol and a Toyota yaris 2K monthly. Your 20 is gone and we will assume you will never shop, buy any gadgets, clothes or travel anywhere or spend anything on entertainment.


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## ThunderCat (Oct 28, 2015)

TallyHo said:


> There's plenty of listings for 1-bedrooms in the Marina for 70-80K. Marina Diamonds etc. Those will have cooling included. Typical dewa bill + internet will probably be 1,000 a month altogether (500 for dewa, 500 for internet). Say it's 80k for the apartment, add another 12k for utilities/internet, total is 92K, or 7666 a month. A lot less than 12k a month you're claiming.
> 
> All the other expenses you mentioned are one-off costs (deposits, agency fees, furniture).


I have re-searched property finder and there is only 1 listing for 80K in marina and it is probably fake. All other listings are 95+ reaching up to 145K. I took an average.

If you have a rent of 100K then you pay a monthly housing tax of 416 AED. How on earth did you calculate that electricity + water + internet is around 585 AED ? That's very misleading.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

Well, I just took a look.

Dubizzle is showing many apartments at 80k and under in the Marina. Mostly the Diamonds, DEC tower, Marina Park, Sulafa, Pinnacle, Dream, and even Zumurud (which is nice building), and, of course, Manchester (though that's to be avoided). 

I actually counted six pages of listings for just today (3 December). 

Propertyfinder.ae is also showing plenty of listings (posted in the last few days) at 80k and below in those same towers. 

Of course, none of these buildings are Al Majara, the Original 6, or the other nicer buildings, but just pointing out that you can quite easily find a one bedroom for 80 and under.


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## AlexM1985 (Jun 1, 2016)

ThunderCat said:


> Grocery would run around 4K monthly. Outing twice a week 2K monthly (nothing lavish, just ordinary dinning). Petrol and a Toyota yaris 2K monthly. Your 20 is gone and we will assume you will never shop, buy any gadgets, clothes or travel anywhere or spend anything on entertainment.


Grocery 4k for a couple, buying mainly at Carrefour? Seems very high. I'd have thought more like 600 a week for groceries


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

ThunderCat is not good with his finances  or very fussy. 

As a single I spend around 200 a week on groceries, mostly at Carrefour, some at Spinneys/Waitrose. A more lavish diet may double that. A couple would probably spend between 600-700/week and eat well (not factoring in any meals out). A couple on a budget can still eat quite well for 500 AED/week. 



AlexM1985 said:


> Grocery 4k for a couple, buying mainly at Carrefour? Seems very high. I'd have thought more like 600 a week for groceries


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## Fayvir (Aug 21, 2015)

I'm assuming 35K monthly salary does not include housing. As others have said, housing will eat up a chunk of your salary. You're probably going to have to spend somewhere between 7000-10000 AED for a one-bedroom flat per month. If you want, add in the utilities expenses (electricity, water, gas, municipality tax, internet, TV, mobile phone plans), that's another 1000-1500 AED every month.

Out of 35K, that's (on average) 12K gone, which leaves you with 23K on disposable income.

Since you want to save 15K AED a month, that leaves you with 8K for personal expenses. Count your car + car expenses, it will be very tight.

Realistically, I think you should consider targetting 10K AED per month for savings.

I went through a similar exercise and this is just from my personal experience. Like others have said, it is VERY easy to spend money here, so you'll have to have good self control


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## ThunderCat (Oct 28, 2015)

TallyHo said:


> ThunderCat is not good with his finances  or very fussy.
> 
> As a single I spend around 200 a week on groceries, mostly at Carrefour, some at Spinneys/Waitrose. A more lavish diet may double that. A couple would probably spend between 600-700/week and eat well (not factoring in any meals out). A couple on a budget can still eat quite well for 500 AED/week.


I am very curious to know how you spend 200 DHs a week in the supermarket in Dubai.

Could you please break it down for me. Your food, water, kitchen & bathroom stuff et al.

Why is everyone assuming we only visit supermarkets for food ?

I'd also like to add that whatever calculations are made, always assume you spend 25% more. There are numerous other miscellaneous expenses that adds up (car insurance, tyre changing, traffic fines) and many other things we bump into everyday.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

Vegetables both fresh and frozen, fruits, some grains / pastas, some lentils, a bit of cheese, yoghurt, a box of biscuits or so. Frozen quiches, the occasional frozen pizza. 

The weekly average is probably 150 AED altogether. 

Staples like a bottle of olive oil or good vinegar probably lasts me 3-4 weeks. As a single I don't need to replenish the staples too often. 

The weekly grocery covers five breakfasts (yoghurt), five lunches, and 4-5 dinners plus fruit to snack on. The rest of the time I eat out. 

If I was a regular meat eater I could see the expenditures going up another 100/week easily, which is why I allowed 600-700 for a couple per week. 

The food I cook at home leans towards Ottolenghi style veggies, salads and grain/lentil dishes complimented with bits of cheese and the occasional piece of meat. 

It really is doable to eat well without spending a fortune. But it does depend on what you like to eat and in what quantities. 



ThunderCat said:


> I am very curious to know how you spend 200 DHs a week in the supermarket in Dubai.
> 
> Could you please break it down for me. Your food, water, kitchen & bathroom stuff et al.
> 
> ...


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## ThunderCat (Oct 28, 2015)

So you don't eat meat. That kinda explains. Again what I spend in the supermarket on non-food items is sometimes equal to what I spend on food. Cleaning material, tissue, toilet paper, personal hygiene products, detergent, softeners and many other things adds up.

If you allow 600-700 per week for a couple then that's easily 1000 weekly with all other supermarket items. That's around the same figure I proposed.

Anyway, it is always better to be cautious than to regret later. Running out of money or running into debt in Dubai or even being unable to save anything could be very frustrating.

I wish everyone the best of luck.


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

I average around 50 AED/month for basic household supplies. This includes toilet paper, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies. Place is cleaned weekly by the maid. All supplies are bought at Carrefour.


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