# Abu Dhabi - Cost of living



## Amnesia180 (May 13, 2009)

Hello all,

Firstly, let me say “Hello” as I have been reading through a few posts here and it all seems very helpful! 

I have recently been (potentially) offered a job in Abu Dhabi for a privately owned company.

I am personal friends with the owners and would love the opportunity to live out there… 

The offer currently stands at being paid around £1210 GBP per month (which is roughly 6691AED), plus accommodation, health insurance and trips home (and all the visas etc), there is also the possibility of a car allowance.

I am just looking for some independent advice and to gather your thoughts on the package (and whether or not it will be feasible to live out there based on the above).

Just a bit of background; I am 21 years old, and single. I have been to Abu Dhabi before and I absolutely adore the country. I find it beautiful, and there seems to be a wealth of opportunity there! I am hard-working, and willing to put the effort into this job in order to progress within the company etc… so starting salary (for me) isn’t going to be a huge issue. I am not too interested in saving tens of thousands of pounds in a short space of time, but I will want to live “comfortably”, i.e: being able to buy food, maybe eating out once or twice a week, visiting the cinema, relaxing at weekends, able to buy clothes. I don’t want to live within my four walls and just about make ends meet (because I am currently doing that in the UK!). I hope that doesn’t come across as rude, but as you can see – this will be a huge move, and one that needs to be a right move. 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can provide,


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## mayotom (Nov 8, 2008)

Amnesia180 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Firstly, let me say “Hello” as I have been reading through a few posts here and it all seems very helpful!
> 
> ...


TBH this is a bad salary, you can live on it, but certainly not save much, a return flight home will cost half your salary(companies usually pay for one return flight after one year service) The accomadation will also be a factor, the City has a serious shortage of acomadation and most companies will put you in a shared apartment, sharing a room with strangers? 

you will need to get the car allowance written into the contract before signing anything, also car running costs if possible, 

then its viable, just not too many big nights out or major shopping trips etc

Can you give more info>

job sector?
exact location?
working hours?
company background? international, local, Indian, Lebanese etc



.


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## Amnesia180 (May 13, 2009)

mayotom said:


> TBH this is a bad salary, you can live on it, but certainly not save much, a return flight home will cost half your salary(companies usually pay for one return flight after one year service) The accomadation will also be a factor, the City has a serious shortage of acomadation and most companies will put you in a shared apartment, sharing a room with strangers?
> 
> you will need to get the car allowance written into the contract before signing anything, also car running costs if possible,
> 
> ...



Thank you for your reply..

I don't have a lot more info right now.

I'll be working in office/administration. Working hours, no idea! Exact location, I still don't know (possibly near Wada Mall?).
The company is a small company, based in Abu Dhabi and also an office in Dubai (English owners).


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## mayotom (Nov 8, 2008)

Amnesia180 said:


> Thank you for your reply..
> 
> I don't have a lot more info right now.
> 
> ...



but what is the main business of the company, ie if its construction related then there is a lot of uncertainty involved



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## Amnesia180 (May 13, 2009)

mayotom said:


> but what is the main business of the company, ie if its construction related then there is a lot of uncertainty involved
> 
> 
> 
> .


No, it is not construction. They supply engineering products to a range of industries including manufacturing, oili & gas, pharmaceutical etc.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

As mayo says, it's livable, esp if your accom. is paid for (just check what and where cos there's some right holes here), also you can start spending some serious cash just getting to/from work via taxis, so an allowance of AED1000 or so wouldn't be unreasonable for you to get a run-about.

Will you be getting paid in £ and if so, ensure there's exchange rate protection built in cos you don't want the £ dropping in value, that'll make your package even worse.

Go for all the allowances you've said, a studio or 1 bedroom flat (in a good location) a salary of AED8-9k and an allowance of AED1k, and you should be OK.

Not rich, but you can get out and about.

Ideally you don't want to be earning less than AED9k...

HTH


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