# Job offer in Al Ain



## Midlifer

I have a teaching offer in Al Ain. Unfortunately I don't know much about the city, what it has to offer outside of work or what the population is like. Can anyone advise?


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## AsadRoman

hello My friend,

I order to get a better reply to the point we need the exact information about the job offer then we will be able to comment on that .


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## Midlifer

Salary is AED 14800 plus accommodation/ apartment (they pay directly to landlord). I have been to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but not Al Ain. 

While the salary is a bit lower than anticipated, it it something I can live on? What should my monthly allowance be? I am a bit of a home body, good cook, avid reader and old movies. I don't drink so no huge expense there. 

Given current exchange rates, I need to be able to send at least AED 8000 back to states each month.


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## Jynxgirl

You will live a very simple life, if you plan on sending 8000 back home. You will need a vehicle out in al ain, so throw out 2000 on a yaris or some other death box tiny vehicle. So you are left on 4800. That is one heck of an ouch existence for a westerner. Get a kindle and pack it with free books. Get sling box fro the usa so you can watch movies/tv, and get around the huge prices for cable. Just get a decent internet speed, which will run you a few hundred dirhams. And get used to arabic or indian food  because going to restaurants in hotels are going to be out of your price range too often. 

No way would I advice doing that if you really have to send that much back home.


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## Midlifer

So is there no metro/ mass transit in Al Ain? Cable, utilities and Internet are provided by school. Is cost of living that much higher in Al Ain? I know there's a grocery and I have friends in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi that can provide access to fresh US beef from time to time. 

Next big one. Was reading about tobacco products and it seems they're going the way of California. Can I take my own Skoal over, is there a limit on how much?


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## Jynxgirl

This is all about priorities. 

If your goal is to come, spend as little as possible, sit in your apartment and not do much, realistic about living very meagerly, and set on sending a chunk of change home that is paying off large amounts that you arent able to do there in the usa, then I say, "Keep your head on straight, stick to your plan and goals, and do it". 

Going to the grocery store and buying supplies and food will probly be 300 to 400 dirhams a week. If I splurge on something special, then my bill might be 500 that week. Tuna steak tends to be like 35 to 40 and scallops like 40 to 50, for instance. I dont try to eat cheap though, and tend to eat only fresh. 

There are taxis in Al Ain. You could get by on just taxis and maybe budget for a rental car on a weekend once a month to go to dubai or abu dhabi or to be able to go to the wadis, or camping or just explore somewhere, and maybe bump that down to 700 to 900 a month for transportation. I cannot imagine being in Al Ain without a vehicle though. And I LIKE Al Ain.... Many westerners cant wait to get to dubai or abu dhabi every weekend who live out there.

A night out at one of the nice hotel restaurants that the westerners tend to like to frequent (as they are the only ones who have alcohol), is going to set you back like 150 to 250 dirhams. I imagine most your coworkers will be living in al ain, on their entire salaries, living a normal life, and able to do this a few times a week. You will probly not be running with coworkers as their life will be quite different then yours. 

Can a person live on that amount you will have to? Of course they can, especially in Al Ain. 

But why move halfway around the world, away from friends and family, to not have as good a life as you had back 'home'?


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## Midlifer

Thanks for the heads up Jynx. My problem is property taxes. I have 2 homes plus a ranch. The 2nd home mostly pays for itself through summer rentals but I can't count on that. Not sure I would want to rent out my primary residence and the ranch would have to hire someone to care for cows and fences. 

I've never been to that region that someone wasn't trying to kill me. 1 tour Afghanistan, 2 in Iraq plus the 1st Gulf War and Somalia. I wanted to see what it really is like I guess. Plus the history there is fascinating. Guess I have 3 days before they withdraw offer.


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## Jynxgirl

If you could afford to shell out 15k to 20k dirhams on a old 4x4 when you come out, then life would be easier for you living off the amount you have and you will be much happier being able to do many of the activities that are the benefits that are living in Al Ain offers. If you are a ranch person, you might like it and not tend to want to run to dubai or abu dhabi as much. With out a vehicle, I see it being pretty rough go out in Al Ain though. Check dubizzle.com to see about pricing on older vehicles. I figure it you own a ranch, you know a thing or two about wrenching. Just have to find a decently well taken care of one. 

I live on less then that a month and stay quite busy. Not really out of a need for a budget, just because I have banned myself from going to hotels, malls, and spending money on ridiculous costs that one finds in the westerner centric areas. I am a ******* though, so crave simplicity that I find most people around here just dont get... It kind of goes against the reason most people move to dubai/abu dhabi as its the 'lifestyle' most are after that draw them here. 

It is doable.  Dont want to completely scare you off. Still, get the slingbox and the kindle to read books from.


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## Midlifer

Okay, you've mentioned a kindle twice. What about my iPad/ iPhone, will the be useless over there?

I do live a very simple life. Don't like loud music much, hate crowds and malls. The Jeep thing sounds like a keeper though.


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## Jynxgirl

Just get something that you can access books and download... If you read on your ipad, then shall work here no issues.

For your iphone, call your carrier and let them know you will be overseas and need it unlocked. They should provide you with how to do that for free.


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## mgb

Hi Midlifer

we have lived in Al Ain for three years now, and love it here. My husband is on a 3 week on/3 week off rotation on Das Island, which means he is gone half the time. 

In a typical month, we would spend about 9000aed on food, gas, other stuff which works out at 6000aed per person). Some months we spend more on car repairs or mods(we are very serious offroaders and must clock up about 50,000kms between us pursuing our hobby).

To keep grocery costs down, then try to find local brands you like, if you go for US/European brands your shopping will be at least twice the price).

I enjoy eating out at cheaper restaurants (indian, pakistani, lebanese, afghani), if you know where to look there are many places you can get a great meal for 40 or 50aed. My husband and I are not big drinkers. For a more western meal, then try the Rugby club (quiz night Wed and curry for 30aed), or the golf club, which has a menu with mains starting from about 35aed.

I couldn't imagine being in Al Ain without a car, particularly if you like the outdoors, and Jynxgirl's idea of a cheap 4x4 is a good idea. If you want low maintenance costs and reliability then seriously consider something japanese, I have a very old Nissan Patrol SWB and our main car is an FJ cruiser. As a marshal for an offroad club I know how often the brand Jeep break down and the vast amounts of money some have paid to get them back on the road.

I am working on a series of blogs about Al Ain - here's the first one I put up yesterday - Living Life to the Full in the Empty Quarter: Life in Al Ain: Part 1 - Shopping. More to follow in the week ahead. There is also some information you might find particularly useful in this page - Living Life to the Full in the Empty Quarter: Sanaiya.

PM me if you have any more questions, and good luck with your decision.


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## mgb

Midlifer said:


> So is there no metro/ mass transit in Al Ain? Cable, utilities and Internet are provided by school. Is cost of living that much higher in Al Ain? I know there's a grocery and I have friends in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi that can provide access to fresh US beef from time to time.
> 
> Next big one. Was reading about tobacco products and it seems they're going the way of California. Can I take my own Skoal over, is there a limit on how much?


We find that the cost of living in Al Ain is much cheaper than AD/Dubai, and not just the rent prices. 

Tobacco products are very cheap here compared to the UK - price of a packet of branded cigarettes is about 7aed.


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