# Dubai 2010 - Where to live and schools?



## Bongo10 (May 1, 2010)

Opportunity to move to Dubai from UK - late 2010. Concerned by some negative news that it isnt what it used to be. What are the growth prospects for Dubai? Has cost of living gone down?
I have family of 3 children (10, 7 & 5) - where is best to live and school? What are the costs i need to consider? What salary do I require to live comfortable family life?
Any help you can give would be very much apprecoated.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

The sticky that says something along the lines of read this before posting, would be good to go read. Then post specific questions you may have.


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## oh! (Feb 24, 2010)

Bongo10 said:


> Opportunity to move to Dubai from UK - late 2010. Concerned by some negative news that it isnt what it used to be. What are the growth prospects for Dubai? Has cost of living gone down?
> I have family of 3 children (10, 7 & 5) - where is best to live and school? What are the costs i need to consider? What salary do I require to live comfortable family life?
> Any help you can give would be very much apprecoated.


What does it used to be???? 

Is it Dubai's growth prospects or your own which you should be looking at?

Obviously now that all the riff raff is gone, cost of living is on the way down, which is good for stable income earners...

I would love to help you out here...but would need to know as to where will you be working...work area normally has a lot to do with what area's you would actually narrow down to live in. 

Pm me (after hitting 4 posts) with your email address and I'll email you this cost calculator (xl sheet) I made which should give you a ball park figure of your first year major costs and monthly expense break down.


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## bambam (Apr 28, 2010)

Dubai is alright considering that it is 'relatively' tax free (there are some hidden taxes eg when buying alcohol, food at restaurants etc). I'm here for 11 years now, originally from Germany and think that it has gotten better in some ways, eg there are so many shopping malls so they are constantly in competition with sales, service in general is good, the majority of private schools have good/high standard, just the driving here is really bad and you constantly have to keep an eye on the road. With regards to the living areas, depending on where you work obviously, but the nice areas in my opinion are:
1. Mirdif, nice suburb but under the flight path, which is a bit bad, however, the rents are very afforable, you can get a nice 3 or 4 bedroom villa at the moment from AED 75K onwards. best to go to a website called 'dubizzle', you can find everything there
2. Arabian Ranches, one of the most beautiful residential areas, very green, safe and the rents are going down, eg at moment a 2-bedroom in Palmera lies around AED 120K etc
3. Jumeira, this is the top notch area but still very, very expensive, not really recommended
4. Jumeira Triangle, this is a new development, which doesnt have facilities yet but the villas are beautiful, the gardens are huge (dont put grass, that will cost a fortune in the summer)
Schools: there is a range, you can google Taaleem, Gems, Raffles, Repton, Festival City (they have 2 schools in there). It's depending on what curriculum you are looking for, IB, American, British, Early Childhood etc.
To live comfortably with 3 children, I would say you need at least around 35K per month, depending on if your company pays housing and school fees.

hope this is a bit helpful


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## Bongo10 (May 1, 2010)

Thanks for the help Bam Bam. Probably working near the Dubai Mall area. Is Arabian Ranches commutable as it looks nice? What are closest schools to the Ranches?




bambam said:


> Dubai is alright considering that it is 'relatively' tax free (there are some hidden taxes eg when buying alcohol, food at restaurants etc). I'm here for 11 years now, originally from Germany and think that it has gotten better in some ways, eg there are so many shopping malls so they are constantly in competition with sales, service in general is good, the majority of private schools have good/high standard, just the driving here is really bad and you constantly have to keep an eye on the road. With regards to the living areas, depending on where you work obviously, but the nice areas in my opinion are:
> 1. Mirdif, nice suburb but under the flight path, which is a bit bad, however, the rents are very afforable, you can get a nice 3 or 4 bedroom villa at the moment from AED 75K onwards. best to go to a website called 'dubizzle', you can find everything there
> 2. Arabian Ranches, one of the most beautiful residential areas, very green, safe and the rents are going down, eg at moment a 2-bedroom in Palmera lies around AED 120K etc
> 3. Jumeira, this is the top notch area but still very, very expensive, not really recommended
> ...


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## bambam (Apr 28, 2010)

*Schools near Dubai Mall*



Bongo10 said:


> Thanks for the help Bam Bam. Probably working near the Dubai Mall area. Is Arabian Ranches commutable as it looks nice? What are closest schools to the Ranches?


My fiancee and I are living in the Ranches since April and, although this is a bit subjective, we think it is by far the most beautiful, relaxing and well kept community in Dubai. My office is at the end of Jumeira Road but it takes my only about 25 minutes per way. You could reach Dubai Mall in 20 mins, it's really easy to reach. Schools close to the Ranches are JESS, which is located in the Ranches but it's very, very difficult to get spaces there. You can try Greenfield Community School, which teaches the IB and is in the Green Community. There is Repton school in an area called Nad Al Sheba, I dont know much about it but seems to be alright, same goes for Raffles School. Gems has the world academy, which is quite close by as well and than there are numerous schools in the city - it's really depending on what you are looking for. I know a fantastic education consultant, she has been in dubai for quite a while and knows most of the schools. may I suggest that you send her an email, am very sure that she can give you the right advice: fiona coutts, fmcoutts gmail com good luck


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## Bongo10 (May 1, 2010)

35k per month - are housing and school fees included in this figure?




bambam said:


> To live comfortably with 3 children, I would say you need at least around 35K per month, depending on if your company pays housing and school fees.
> 
> hope this is a bit helpful


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## bambam (Apr 28, 2010)

Bongo10 said:


> 35k per month - are housing and school fees included in this figure?


Hi, sorry, wasnt online over the weekend - that would be excluding, your best shot is if your company pays housing and school fees or at least a portion of it. It is quite common to do so but some companies try to work around it.


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