# Living in Dubai



## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Hello all, I'm new here so please be nice and don't think I'm being stupid! I think I posted this in the wrong forum before so I do apologise! 

I'm looking at relocating to Dubai for a job advertised within the company I currently work for, and have had interviews and been told I need to look at living expenses to come up with what I view to be a "reasonable salary" 

The job is a retail manager/assistant manager, and in the uk I would probably be earning around £16k a year (that is a rough idea and also a salary I would be content/happy with in my current store at a minimum)

I'm a 25 year old male, no family or kids, I don't drive however I am in good shape and would have no issues with a long walk per day etc and would likely be looking at a flat or a flat share opportunity. 

The job wouldn't be offered for another month at the minimum however I would like to take the opportunity to get a lot of research and ideas. 

Thank you in advance


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

I'll let others come back to you on the rest of it but, before they do, I will advise you to take an intensive driving course. There's NO way you will want to do any walking of any duration in the summer months. Google the temperatures here and think again.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

At the peak of the summer, I don;t even want to walk to my car in an underground car park


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## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks guys I'll look into that, would buses be a viable option if I don't get driving? The job would be in the Dubai mall and I'd assume there's bus stops around there?


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## TallyHo (Aug 21, 2011)

You don't have to drive in the UAE. It certainly helps and makes life a lot easier.

Retail positions usually come with accommodation (shared). But it sounds like your company won't be offering accommodation. There's a metro stop at the Dubai Mall and if you find a flatshare along the metro line (Marina, JLT etc) you can easily survive without a car. 

£16,000 translates into 97,500 AED at the current exchange rate. That's 8,125 AED per month. By western standards that's a piss poor salary. At least half that will go towards your rent in a flat share with other western expats. You'll need a minimum of 2,000 a month to live on (food, metro fare, etc) and socialisation will come on top of that. Frankly, it's not worth it.

I'd ask for at least 15,000 AED/month, minimum. You can survive on that decently enough with a flatshare, taking the metro, modest socialisation and save some money for holidays. Ideally I'd want to be paid even more but I don't know how realistic it'd be to ask for more.


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## Fletch1969 (Nov 12, 2011)

Very good metro system here and there is a connection right to the Dubai Mall so as long as you can get to the metro at the other end without melting, you should be fine. Taxis are plentiful, but get busy at peak hours and I'd prefer to not be queuing outside either - even if not in a car park. 

As the others have said, it does get rather warm here.. 

You do get used to it to a point, but its not pleasant..

I would seriously think about sorting driving out before you get here; even if you don't have a car straight away, its easier to do it at home first. I don't know if you have to have driven for a while before you convert your licence though..


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## JBY (May 17, 2011)

Awestern88 said:


> Hello all, I'm new here so please be nice and don't think I'm being stupid! I think I posted this in the wrong forum before so I do apologise!
> 
> I'm looking at relocating to Dubai for a job advertised within the company I currently work for, and have had interviews and been told I need to look at living expenses to come up with what I view to be a "reasonable salary"
> 
> ...


Hi there, 

Dubai is truly one of the best places to live on this planet, the life and tax free opportunity is great but comes at a cost of course it terms of high cost of living. 

The most expensive thing here is housing, housing will eat up 35%-50% of your pay (some cases i heard about 70%), otherwise everything else is manageable. Fuel is cheap, cars cheap, eating out entertainment, etc is reasonable

at your age/career level i would set my expectation at min of 15,000AED per month but would try to aim to score 20K+ AED per month. i assume at 25 you probably graduated about a year ago. 

keep in mind the vast majority of the population earn 8000-12,000 per month

if u flat share u will be able to save a lot


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## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks all, great information. I'm lucky in the way that my body adapts well to heat, I don't tend to burn (well, I've never burnt, not even in Ibiza with no sun lotion) ok I know the heat is different out there, but just to give you an idea. 

I'm right in thinking that the wage will be tax free also? So that obviously will boost my earnings a bit. I'm thinking the wage I would probably be able to request may not be 15,000 straight off, however I will take it into consideration and mention that, I wouldn't mind living on a lower wage to start with while I get my feet under the table, and then once I've proven myself after a few months asking for a raise etc. it would be strange going through the currency change as 15,000 seems a lot but obviously isn't!


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Awestern88 said:


> I wouldn't mind living on a lower wage to start with while I get my feet under the table, and then once I've proven myself after a few months asking for a raise etc.


And six months in you'll be posting in a panic because your visa situation is in a mess, you're not getting a flight home because you never completed probation. Housemates have done a runner and everything's in your name. A "mate" owes you money you're not sure how to get back and you're terrified about going anywhere near the airport because you have a loan and maxed out credit card.

Stay in the UK and get some proper life experience behind you or go for the financial jugular full pelt but don't get chewed up being the nice guy in the middle.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

I have to agree with Mr. Rossi here. Without sounding patronizing, you're obviously quite young. The way you responded to us on the weather in the summer alone gives that away. Get a few years more experience and then consider coming out here. You'll find it extremely difficult to manage on that money. Rent will be your biggest outgoing and it's becoming harder and harder. Have a look at the cost of sharing on Dubizzle. Remember the shared and partitioned rooms are not aimed at westerners. Look at the stickies on here and do your sums. I understand it all sounds wonderful but when you get here and realize it's not do-able, this is not a good place to be. By the way, just in case you still decide it's a yes, the metro doesn't start till 1 PM on a Friday (and, in retail, you will be working six days week, normally ten hours a day) and with your budget, it's unlikely you would be able to afford anywhere on the metro line. Sorry, I don't want to burst your balloon but you need to take a big step back and do a lot more research before you make any commitment on this.


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## Fletch1969 (Nov 12, 2011)

BedouGirl said:


> By the way, just in case you still decide it's a yes, the metro doesn't start till 1 PM on a Friday (and, in retail, you will be working six days week, normally ten hours a day) and with your budget, it's unlikely you would be able to afford anywhere on the metro line. Sorry, I don't want to burst your balloon but you need to take a big step back and do a lot more research before you make any commitment on this.


Good point about the metro; hadn't factored that in..

I would seriously advise people thinking of coming here to take a long hard look at the financials of the idea. I know I have a current issue regarding rent, but everything I am hearing is telling me this is going to get worse. Much as I love living here, for me there is quite a lot of disruption with friends and family back home. If I can't save what I would loose on tax, its not making sense to stay.


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## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Hi, I hadn't factored in the possibility of being messed around by others. 

That has sounded incredibly patronising tbh, but I can take your opinions on board thanks to those who gave me proper answers and I can handle myself money wise when I'm sorted and fixed with a salary and I'm doing plenty of research into it, there's no need for the downtalking and /snip/ replies thanks. Came on here for genuine answers not to be talked to rudely, would of liked to avoided the pointless answers thanks. 

I'm looking to come across soon as this is a job with my current company that's come up, not a new vacancy, so a job a few years into the future may not be around if that makes sense?


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

I was genuinely trying to do you a favour, here is bandit country and the jails are full of people who thought everyone else did the "decent" thing. You're job may be secure but it's far from the only pitfall, especially at the lower end of the pay scale and with your goodwill mentality.

Also if you're taking umbrage at a bit of curtness from a random on the internet, then you're seriously going to go up the wall here.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Awestern88 said:


> Hi, I hadn't factored in the possibility of being messed around by others.
> 
> That has sounded incredibly patronising tbh, but I can take your opinions on board thanks to those who gave me proper answers and I can handle myself money wise when I'm sorted and fixed with a salary and I'm doing plenty of research into it, there's no need for the downtalking and /snip/ replies thanks. Came on here for genuine answers not to be talked to rudely, would of liked to avoided the pointless answers thanks.
> 
> I'm looking to come across soon as this is a job with my current company that's come up, not a new vacancy, so a job a few years into the future may not be around if that makes sense?


Hi,
I was a bit alarmed by your post - as i thought from your tone that people had been horrible to you and/or given you bad advice.
I then read each post thoroughly and was pleased to find that you were given fair and accurate advice - much of it from very experienced expats who actually live in Dubai and - like me know what a summer is really like here.
Your post above and your general comments lead me to suspect that you would not actually fit in with expat life in general and Dubai life, in particular.
If you really want to consider living in this type of climate and rely on public transport you should try one thing. Shower and dress in your normal work clothes. Then visit a sauna room and try standing fully clothed in 50 degree heat and 100% humidity for as long as you can stand it.
I kid you not - this is what it is like to walk outside in Dubai from June until September.
In the summer months the temperature and humidity levels even go up after sunset - it can often be 45 degrees or more in the evening.
Best of luck
Steve


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## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Fair enough, it did sound like you were being a bit Un necessary with wording, and it's the last thing you want to come online after a long ass day to say the least! Apologies. I haven't taken umbrage at all. It's not a goodwill nature, I would just accept a lower wage to get a foot in the door, and then work on that etc. 

As I said, I understand the climate, and I'm by no means ignoring your advice I know that I really have no idea just HOW hot/humid it would be, I'm only stating that my body tends to be able to tolerate heat better than most people (not to say the get there won't still be on a different scale!)


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

Awestern88 said:


> Hi, I hadn't factored in the possibility of being messed around by others. That has sounded incredibly patronising tbh, but I can take your opinions on board thanks to those who gave me proper answers and I can handle myself money wise when I'm sorted and fixed with a salary and I'm doing plenty of research into it, there's no need for the downtalking and /snip/ replies thanks. Came on here for genuine answers not to be talked to rudely, would of liked to avoided the pointless answers thanks. I'm looking to come across soon as this is a job with my current company that's come up, not a new vacancy, so a job a few years into the future may not be around if that makes sense?


Please do not use inappropriate language on the forum - suggest you refer to the forum rules before posting again. Thank you.


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## Awestern88 (Apr 7, 2014)

Apologies for the language, will watch it in future


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## Ukrainka (Nov 2, 2010)

Awestern88, 

Look, it doesn't matter how much you earn in Dubai if you do not have a decent accomodation and transportation. 
A lot of people are offered 'gold' in promises to be lured to Dubai. Retail market is a thankless 'slavery' when it comes to exploiting people... Been there, done that. Try to push for company provided accomodation (preferrably with utilities bills covered by the company), and company provided transportation. It is rare, but I KNOW some big retail companies that do this for their employees. The larger the retail group is the more they tend to do for their staff. 
Ask at least. Who knows? You do not get killed for asking the questions. 
Your major expense will be as pretty much everybody points out flat and car. Living along the metro line is hugely expensive, unless you want to share with 10-15 people of some unclear origins. As it was pointed out sharing ideas are not the same for Europeans and Asians. Very different styles of house-keeping... But even then reaching the metro maybe challenging in terms of very harsh weather. You don't burn on Ibiza, that is wonderful, but please don't compare. The climate of Ibiza is a puppy next to the UAE. It gets very hot and humid, and walking in your 'uniform' clothes to work first to metro, in rush hours with lots of like yourself 'desperados' trying to get to work, some already smelly from walking or not taking shower, then getting out of it and not breaking into sweat...is challenging... There are lots of regulations as to using metro which may come as odd for a European, so not to scare you, but to prepare you. Metro can be far more frustrating than you think. Also transport connections around it are still not as highly developed as you may expect.
Many people get into troubles without realizing it is a trouble, so you would be safer living a company accomodation. And if a company has a bus to drop you all off and pick you all up that is as good as gold! Living costs are growing day by day... Would not make sense to agree to something less than 14K, if housing and transport not offered. And check your basic salary. Some 'nice' HR tend to keep it very low and compensate the rest by higher 'transport allowance', 'utilities allowance', 'housing allowance'- it will all make sense once they do your renumeration at the end of the contract...
And yes, lots of people (especially your 'old' colleagues) will try to borrow money from you, and being new and wanting to fit in, you would lend...well, just say good-bye to it at once, because you will never-ever see your money. That is the oldest scam that everybody working in the UAE for the first time has ever faced (correct me if I am wrong).


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## khazjesk (Apr 3, 2014)

I must say you are a very patient person....and also smart to manage with watever you have instead of complaining like most people do and are always unhappy...God bless u


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