# Benefit package-is this enough?



## Lbd129 (Jun 25, 2013)

My husband has been offered a job relocating us from the US to UAE but we have not been told where exactly as of yet, we are thinking most likely Dubai or AD. His package includes the following:

27,914 AED monthly (91k salary USD)
Health dental and vision insurance
30 days per year off plus holidays
Round trip airfare for family once per year plus for relocation

There is no allowance for housing, relocation, or anything similar. 

We are married with a toddler and will have a new baby when we move over.
The contract is for 3 years minimum.

The yearly salary in US dollars is acceptable for his line of work as well as amount of time he has worked. Just wondering if this is an acceptable amount of money without housing allowance to allow us to live comfortably in terms of regular bills (housing, 2 cars purchased, utilities, food, etc.)


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## mgb (Sep 6, 2008)

You need a housing allowance of at least 150k I would say. Also schooling allowance which covers KG. A family of 4 could exist on that salary but there won't be much left over to save or for holidays and hobbies.

Many companies relocating staff pay a shipping allowance for effects or a furniture allowance and I would be asking for that too.


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## rednelly84 (Jul 4, 2010)

Agree with mgb, although I would go even further and say up to 180K AED housing allowance for a family of 4 living in AD. The rents are increasing and it's getting harder to find good accommodation in desirable areas.


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## Marlena (Jun 26, 2013)

I agree with the above responses. This is not a good deal in my opinion.
To begin with, you should find out where they are going to send you and have that in the contract (that means SPECIFIC city and address)
I don't know what your husband's line of work is but I've heard some horror stories from teachers who signed a contract to work in Abu Dhabi only to arrive and be informed that they are in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, not the actual city, and ended up in a town two hours from Abu Dhabi in the middle of the desert.
Practically every contract I've heard of includes housing allowance. This company is trying to jip you. We live in Al Ain (emirate of Abu Dhabi) and the average cost for a family home is 120,000-240,000 dirrhams per year. You are usually expected to pay this rental fee up front, for the whole year in advance.
I'm not sure about pre-school but KG and up costs approximately 2-4,000 dhs per month per child, depending on the school. Most decent contracts also include a school salary which may or may not cover the full cost.
many contracts also include a moving allowance, a furniture allowance, and an end-of contract bonus.
If your husband's contract doesn't even include housing and they are not specifying where they will send him, it's a poor deal.


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## Marlena (Jun 26, 2013)

Ooops, in case you are confused about my profile, I am currently living in Al Ain, UAE (we've been here 3 years) but we are in the process of relocating to Milan, Italy. So I've changed my location 2 months in advance. Lol


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## mgb (Sep 6, 2008)

Al Ain prices have been dropping for 2 years (thankfully), most of my friends with kids are paying 80k-110k AED per year for 3 and 4 bedroom villas. We are in a 3 bedroom stand alone villa with a huge lockblocked yard for 60k!

The above poster is spot on, you need to find out exactly which city you are going to be relocated in, I believe that Dubai rental prices, although on the rise, are still cheaper than the same in Abu Dhabi, but other costs/taxes in Dubai are higher than in AD.


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## AlexDhabi (Aug 23, 2012)

Private companies these days often give an all-inclusive package. Most government jobs still have a housing allowance but many of them are not flexible with arrangements. But whether in AD or Dubai this is not a good deal.


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