# Pattaya vs Al Ain



## botak_ding

Hi,
Anybody with experience living/working in UAE (Al Ain) and Thailand (Pattaya)? If you're offered for THB120,000/month without accomodation and AED35,000 with accomodation, which you'd select?
Just interested in saving point of view. FYI my wife is not working and have 2 children; 7 (primary school) and 3 years old.


----------



## blue eyes

Never lived in the UA.But for 120,000THB a month you and your family can live a decent life in Thailand.But you would not be saving much in the bank for retierment though.


----------



## botak_ding

1. Do foreigners allowed to buy car or motorcycle? What document is needed?
2. How much % (from total price) a typical downpayment would be for a small car i.e.: Honda Jazz or equivalent.
3. What is the typical number of year for installment?

Thanks.


----------



## sallym

I'd opt for Al Ain. I lived 12 years in Dubai and the last in Phuket. 



botak_ding said:


> Hi,
> Anybody with experience living/working in UAE (Al Ain) and Thailand (Pattaya)? If you're offered for THB120,000/month without accomodation and AED35,000 with accomodation, which you'd select?
> Just interested in saving point of view. FYI my wife is not working and have 2 children; 7 (primary school) and 3 years old.


----------



## blue eyes

sallym said:


> I'd opt for Al Ain. I lived 12 years in Dubai and the last in Phuket.


Even with what is happening there now?


----------



## sallym

If you mean what's happening in the Middle East in general, there's no way this will happen in the UAE - 1) the local population is very very low so not enough of them to make a ripple and 2) and more important, UAE citizens are quite contente with their government. No worries. Yes, I'd still go to Al Ain. 





blue eyes said:


> Even with what is happening there now?


----------



## botak_ding

HI blueeyes and sallym, thanks for responding to the enquiry.

Can you enlighten me on the below (with regards to UAE/Al Ain)
1. Typical electricity for house with 2 aircond = Approx. AED......./mth
2. Typical water for family (me, my wife, 2 children 7 and 3 y-o) = Approx. AED......./mth
3. Typical groceries for my family (headcount stated above) = Approx. AED ......../mth
4. Typical downpayment for small/compact car e.g.: Honda Jazz etc = Approx. AED .........
5. Typical monthly instalment for the car = Approx. AED......./mth
6. Typical petrol for the car (10km house-work) = Approx. AED......./mth 
7. Typical school fee&expenses for my 7y-o at primary school = Approx. AED......./mth

Really really appreciate.


----------



## sallym

Will take a bit to get this together but will...



botak_ding said:


> HI blueeyes and sallym, thanks for responding to the enquiry.
> 
> Can you enlighten me on the below (with regards to UAE/Al Ain)
> 1. Typical electricity for house with 2 aircond = Approx. AED......./mth
> 2. Typical water for family (me, my wife, 2 children 7 and 3 y-o) = Approx. AED......./mth
> 3. Typical groceries for my family (headcount stated above) = Approx. AED ......../mth
> 4. Typical downpayment for small/compact car e.g.: Honda Jazz etc = Approx. AED .........
> 5. Typical monthly instalment for the car = Approx. AED......./mth
> 6. Typical petrol for the car (10km house-work) = Approx. AED......./mth
> 7. Typical school fee&expenses for my 7y-o at primary school = Approx. AED......./mth
> 
> Really really appreciate.


----------



## anselpixel

*Pattaya*

I live in a nice condo on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok. I don't have a family with me, but 40K THB a month covers everything quite nicely.
If you can't save anything out of 120K THB a month, you're not being very thrifty.
My condo has two air-con units, a large flatsceen tv, a refrigerator, and so on. My electricity bill per month runs around 1000 THB.


----------



## botak_ding

anselpixel, appreciate your input.
do you own car there? can foreigner buy car?
for small/ compact car, honda jazz, toyota yaris, vios, what would be the typical monthly installment?

sallym,
still waiting for your reply on the questions.


----------



## Felixtoo2

I live in Dubai and travel out to Al Ain each month to race karts. To be honest you couldn`t pay me to live there, it`s just miles from anywhere and a sleepy sort of backwater compared to Dubai or Abu Dhabi. I`ve been to Pattaya many times although only as a holiday maker and I really cannot imagine two places that could be more far apart in terms of lifestyle. 
Given the choice I would take Pattaya however 35000dhs per month including accomodation is a good wage and you won`t have much to spend it on out there.


----------



## Guest

blue eyes said:


> Even with what is happening there now?


NOTHING is happening in Al Ain. It's one of the safest areas to work in the Midde East.


----------



## Guest

The original post is funny. Almost too funny to be taken seriously. C'mon, you know it's not it's not about the salaries each city is offering, but the completely different lifestyles each of these two places has. Pattaya and Al Ain? Who utters those two places in the same breath without some punchline coming soon after?


----------



## Felixtoo2

Pattaya = No Money No Honey

Al Ain = No Honey


----------



## Guest

Felixtoo2 said:


> Pattaya = No Money No Honey
> 
> Al Ain = No Honey


:clap2: Haha! Yes, good one. That's what I'm talking about!  

Now :focus: Couldn't resist, OP. If you need any help with cost of living data in Al Ain, let me know. I have lived in Bangkok, but that was years ago. One quick note about Pattaya. You'll probably end up paying tourist prices. 

Good luck!


----------



## kaikwong

Just wondering why are the 2 salary differences is more than double? If single, thailand might be a very good choice with plenty to do but for a family, i think UAE will be more suitable and can save abit with that salary. 

If i were you, i would ask the company to squeeze in some budget for the children's school fee.


----------



## Expat.Hucker

I live in Dubai, so this gives you an idea overall. A salary of AED35,000 is quite a healthy salary here (tax free US9536) and Al Ain is a cheaper location than Dubai, however schooling will be your most expensive living cost. A lot of people live in Arabian Ranches and commute to Al Ain as it is seriously the most boring place I have been to in the Middle East. You don't want to have to live there. 

There is a great website called dubizzle which will give you pricing on everything from cars to houses in the UAE.

4 bedroom house in Arabian Ranches has dropped to AED110,000 per year, use to be over AED200,000. 

Answer to your questions:-

Can you enlighten me on the below (with regards to UAE/Al Ain)
1. Typical electricity for house with 2 aircond = Approx. AED 500 per month or AED1500 in the summer
2. Typical water for family (me, my wife, 2 children 7 and 3 y-o) = Approx. AED 500 per month, more if you have a garden
3. Typical groceries for my family (headcount stated above) = Approx. AED 2000 per month.
4. Typical down payment for small/compact car e.g.: Honda Jazz etc = Approx. AED 15,000 - 20,000 second hand
5. Typical monthly instalment for the car = Interest rates are low, but you can't get a loan without 3 months' salary
6. Typical petrol for the car (10km house-work) = Approx. AED 100 per week max
7. Typical school fee&expenses for my 7y-o at primary school = Approx. Don't have kids but most friends pay AED20,000 per quarter.


----------



## botak_ding

kaikwong said:


> Just wondering why are the 2 salary differences is more than double? .


One, employer consider expat package, the other; regular employee except that I'm not local.


----------



## botak_ding

jpippy68 said:


> If you need any help with cost of living data in Al Ain, let me know.


Do you concur with Expat.Hucker's inputs?

Expat.Hucker, thanks for sharing.


----------

