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ewmoda

Australian family moving to Dubai please help answer some of my questions :)

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Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 06:17

Hi everyone!
My partner has been offered a job in Dubai and we are thinking of moving there together for the 18 months with our 2 kids (2 and 4)
We have never been there before so I have some questions I'm hoping u can help me!
1. My partners been offered 25,000 AED a month. Is that good? Would that be an average salary?
2. We've been offered accomodation in ajman for 5,000/mth which includes car rental and power n water. Does that sound sufficient? Apparently that's expensive?
3. What is Ajman like? We live in the Brisbane suburbs but work in the city.
4. Can you recommend a good, safe area to live?
5. What age does my 4 year old have to start school?

We will be getting married before we head over there. Any other advice or opinions good or bad that may help our decision would be very much appreciated :)

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3863

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 15:59

Thanks Laura that msg was very helpful! May I ask what sort of area u are in? Apparently they already have a couple of furnished places available.. I'm assuming that's in Ajman though and from the previous posts I think I'd rather be in Dubai. [b'>It seems that most employers pay for accommodation/schooling and insurance so my DH is going to try and negotiate some of that.[/b'>What do u think of the schools there? Are they good? Do u feel like the kids are safe and happy when they are there? I haven't lived overseas before so I'm not sure how different it's going to be compared to the laid back lifestyle here That is a myth, employers in general, especially in private sector, are not offering such glamorous packages the way they use to. Too many people willing to accept less. Keep in mind that there are so many people in UAE that survive on 25k and much less, even with children - it's all about expectations. Are you really just coming here for an international work and living experience? Or are wanting to make some money? I would think it doesn't make much sense to pick up and start over in a new country if you're not going to be better off both professionally and financially. If you're having to negotiate such basics as family health insurance housing and education allowances with your DH's employer, then it really sounds like they are trying to get away with offering as little as possible. They know what your standards are at home, and they will know how much it costs to maintain that in UAE. edited by Sakhifa on 11/02/2013 Agree i see less and less packages with schooling now

1120

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 15:56

Thanks Laura that msg was very helpful! May I ask what sort of area u are in? Apparently they already have a couple of furnished places available.. I'm assuming that's in Ajman though and from the previous posts I think I'd rather be in Dubai. [b'>It seems that most employers pay for accommodation/schooling and insurance so my DH is going to try and negotiate some of that.[/b'>What do u think of the schools there? Are they good? Do u feel like the kids are safe and happy when they are there? I haven't lived overseas before so I'm not sure how different it's going to be compared to the laid back lifestyle here That is a myth, employers in general, especially in private sector, are not offering such glamorous packages the way they use to. Too many people willing to accept less. Keep in mind that there are so many people in UAE that survive on 25k and much less, even with children - it's all about expectations. Are you really just coming here for an international work and living experience? Or are wanting to make some money? I would think it doesn't make much sense to pick up and start over in a new country if you're not going to be better off both professionally and financially. If you're having to negotiate such basics as family health insurance housing and education allowances with your DH's employer, then it really sounds like they are trying to get away with offering as little as possible. They know what your standards are at home, and they will know how much it costs to maintain that in UAE. <em>edited by Sakhifa on 11/02/2013</em>

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Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 15:44

Thanks Laura that msg was very helpful! May I ask what sort of area u are in? Apparently they already have a couple of furnished places available.. I'm assuming that's in Ajman though and from the previous posts I think I'd rather be in Dubai. It seems that most employers pay for accommodation/schooling and insurance so my DH is going to try and negotiate some of that. What do u think of the schools there? Are they good? Do u feel like the kids are safe and happy when they are there? I haven't lived overseas before so I'm not sure how different it's going to be compared to the laid back lifestyle here

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EW EXPERT

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 15:41

Anyone is able to access government health services here providing you get a Government Health Card. It used to be 300 dhs but no idea of the current cost. You then pay a relatively small fee for out-patient appointments at your local health centre and they refer you to hospital services if necessary. We used this system for the first few years we were in Dubai until we got Health Insurance provided. It is a perfectly adequate service.

1050

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 15:08

KC dont forget that the exchange rate between Dubai and Oz is dreadful at the moment and why the AUD is so high is beyond me. Our friend's [b'>[u'>total package [/u'>[/b'>is above the AED25K mark plus bonuses, he has schooling and medical allowance on top of this. Amy is right, no Medicare at all and you MUST have insurance particularly if you have kids. Would the company give you the opportunity to come over and see the place before you decide.

1247

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 14:28

Al Jadaf I think, You could look at living in Mirdif then, cheapish rents etc, and not a long drive :) Look, 25k is ok, its not great, but it can be done, like others said, it depends what kind of lifestyle you want. Your oldest will need to go to school so take that in to calculations, use dubizzle to look at rents etc. Id ask for either housing or school fees on top of the 25k (or both), also ask them to do medical for the whole family not just hubby. <em>edited by Purple on 11/02/2013</em>

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 14:21

The owner of the company used to be my partners old boss in new-zealand so they are just chatting about things at the moment. So no offer on paper as yet. There is a job available for him if he wants it and we do want it. We are happy and comfortable financially in Brisbane but we are bored and want to take some time away with the kids. Our son will be having some major surgeries from 7 years of age and continuing until he's a teenager so our only chance to go somewhere is now as he is just about to turn 4. The company is in Al Jaduf? Sorry I probably spelt that wrong. We don't have a mortgage just a couple of loans for cars so we'd need to send back 1,500 US a month to pay these. Schooling wise my son wouldn't be starting prep till after we come back. He is in kindy now. I'm not really sure what to do about that over there. Here in Australia they need to go to kindy 3 days a week for the kindy program so maybe he could do that over there? Is kindy expensive? Fuels around $1.40AU a litre at the moment. We spend about $200 a week on fuel here. I also pay $250AU a week for daycare. Rent $460AU a week It seems a lot cheaper in Dubai What sort of salary is your boat builder friend on? My DH is a fibreglass boat builder.

993

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EW GURU

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 13:53

Bur Dubai is a large area, which part of Bur Dubai would it be ? "Comfortable Salary" is hard to define; 25k+ accomodation+car would be fine for most people as long as they dont have mortgages back home to pay. Oh, and you need to figure in Schooling Costs as well. On the + side, you may find many groceries and services as well as fuel cheaper than in Australia Personally I would not move from Brisbane unless i am really unhappy there for some reason.

1050

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 13:52

KC, has your husband actually had a written offer with a break down of the salary package. This should show you the base salary and the allowances, such as your housing allowance, insurance, school and annual return tickets home. We had a friend move from Oz to here for a boat building job and he hated it and another friend has been in that industry for over 5 years and his salary is more than what your husband is being quoted, both are shipwrights.

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 11 February 2013 - 13:20

Once again thanks so much for all ur replies and advice. We have decided to ask for the accommodation and car hire on top of the 25,000. Would this be a better salary for a family of 4? What would be a comfortable salary in Dubai? The work location is in bur Dubai. Is there nice accommodation around this area? We are going to ask if we can live in Dubai rather than Ajman. Is health insurance expensive and do we need to have it or is there a public system available?

5400

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 23:03

We get a similar monthly salary and live in Dubai [b'>but on top of that we get medical ins, 3brm villa, Dewa paid, annual ticket home and schooling.[/b'> We easliy save money but it would be very diffficult if the big things weren't included. School hours here are different to Australia. For the 3-4 year olds they go from 7.30-8am to about 12-12.30. (approx) Then as they get older they stay until 2.30-3pm depending on the school. It makes finding work hard unless you have someone to pick them up or use the school bus and someone at home to meet them. Then you need a maid. Good luck I think TimTam has got to the heart of it. Good luck in your decision - but unless you have no other option in Brisbane, I don't think I would risk it, if I were you. I get the wanting an adventure part - and maybe if you came knowing you had to adhere to a strict budget, you would get something out of it - pastures new, a completely different local culture, exposure to people from many other countries - but I'm really not sure. Good luck with the decision, again. And don't forget to ask, why Ajman? :D

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EW GURU

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 21:38

We get a similar monthly salary and live in Dubai but on top of that we get medical ins, 3brm villa, Dewa paid, annual ticket home and schooling. We easliy save money but it would be very diffficult if the big things weren't included. School hours here are different to Australia. For the 3-4 year olds they go from 7.30-8am to about 12-12.30. (approx) Then as they get older they stay until 2.30-3pm depending on the school. It makes finding work hard unless you have someone to pick them up or use the school bus and someone at home to meet them. Then you need a maid. Good luck

Anonymous (not verified)

0

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 21:07

I'm sorry, I didn't notice that you would be living in Ajman and working in Dubai - that is ridiculous!!!!!! The traffic at peak hour - morning and evening - will drive you insane - it could take a couple of hours each way!!!!!! if you are working in Dubai, you should be housed in Dubai. Also, ensure that they provide medical insurance - an absolute MUST here.

spongemonkey980

4329

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 17:23

We pay AED80k a year for rent but looked long and hard to find sth in that price range.(Layan). Meagle would be interested to know where you are as at min we need to run 2 cars cos of the location. Working can be tough to fit round kids..you would almost certainly need a maid (approx AED2.5k a month). If you're budgeting on accomm it may be difficult to find an apartment with ample space for a maid. We use the maid's room for bikes and storage. Many jobs fitting round school run etc 'only' offer AED5 or 6k a month - if you don't want it then someone else is the way it seems to work. Def advise having medical insurance covered and housing/schooling allowance. If you're prepared to drive a bog standard saloon car you can hire one for AED1.6k a month or you can buy similar for around AED900 a month with a downpayment. Having a maid, OP, means much more cost than this - it means 7000 dhs approx to process the maid, it means other costs such as health for her, it means having someone at home who runs A/C etc willy nilly at YOUR cost. There are MANY women here who do not work for a whole variety of reasons - you don't just pick up jobs easily. Who is going to look after your 2 year old? Who is going to get your older child from school at say 1 or 2pm and look after him?

spongemonkey980

4329

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 17:14

I totally hear you re wanting to take some time off working. Honestly, if I had the choice of working full-time and living back in Brisbane or being a stay at home mum and living in Ajman I would totally choose Brisbane. I think you need to do 2 things before you worry about any other details. 1 - Find out if you can possibly live in Dubai. Simple as that. 2 - If the answer is no and Ajman is the only possibility, then I believe your husband owes it to you and you owe it to your children to first come out and actually SEE Ajman. Then and only then will you know whether it will be the right move for you. No matter how much we explain things, you really need to see it (Ajman) for yourself. Totally agree!! It is fine for people to say it is more traditional or conservative but if someone has never been here before, they could be in for a nasty shock!!!

5452

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 16:39

Personally, I think that you should not move here under those conditions. This sounds like a bad idea financially.

5400

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 16:25

Something else to consider - you mention your other half as "Partner" which suggests you may not be married. You will need to get married before you move to Dubai. Good luck with your deliberations. The OP's final paragraph shows she is aware of this :)

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Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 16:20

Something else to consider - you mention your other half as "Partner" which suggests you may not be married. You will need to get married before you move to Dubai. Good luck with your deliberations.

5400

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 15:18

The Original BMAP's costings notwithstanding, you might also find this helpful: http://www.dubaifaqs.com/cost-of-living-in-dubai.php

1370

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 15:13

We pay AED80k a year for rent but looked long and hard to find sth in that price range.(Layan). Meagle would be interested to know where you are as at min we need to run 2 cars cos of the location. Working can be tough to fit round kids..you would almost certainly need a maid (approx AED2.5k a month). If you're budgeting on accomm it may be difficult to find an apartment with ample space for a maid. We use the maid's room for bikes and storage. Many jobs fitting round school run etc 'only' offer AED5 or 6k a month - if you don't want it then someone else is the way it seems to work. Def advise having medical insurance covered and housing/schooling allowance. If you're prepared to drive a bog standard saloon car you can hire one for AED1.6k a month or you can buy similar for around AED900 a month with a downpayment.

5400

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 15:06

Look at this map, though, for distance from Ajman to OP's husband's prospective place of employment: http://tinyurl.com/AjmantoAlJaddaf

993

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 14:46

The way I look at is that: A company which is so tight that it wants its employees to live in Ajman (not even Sharjah), would be tight in other areas as well (insurance?, promotions ? etc.)

849

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EW GURU

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 14:41

A 2 bedroom apartment in a descent part of Dubai is going to cost you nearly 100,000 AED per year or more; more if furnished. You may be able to find something cheaper in some of the distant areas (Sports City, Layan, JVC/JVT), but anything that's close to the city will run you close to 100,000 or emore. Rents here are generally paid in 1, 2 or 4 checks so you'll need quite a bit of money upfront if the employer isn't providing a housing allowance. The traffic between Ajman/Sharjah and Dubai is horrendous so I would personally not agree to live in those areas for that reason alone. With that said, Dubai can be as expensive as you let it be. We came on a package many people told us was too low and that we shouldn't come on. Guess what? With just my husband's salary we were saving money! We don't live the "expat" lifestyle. We only have 1 car and either my husband would ride with coworkers (many of whom live in our area), take metro or the kids and I would pick him up. We don't live in a fancy neighborhood. I suspect many of the women on here would thumb their noses as where we live, but we've got a nice flat in a descent building. The trade off is construction and no green space but there are parks relatively close. We knew this was a stepping stone to a better position for my husband and are treating our time here as such. We've made sacrifices. With 20k a month, annual airfare home, insurance included and a descent education allowance, you could make it if you're willing to live frugally.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 14:40

Hello KC85, So where would your husband be based? Ajman or closer or further up. What about living in RAK. Now that is a very chilled laid back lifestyle up there. Villas a cheap. Friend is moving into a new 4 bed for AED90K, 3 blocks from beach, and handy to pool and playground. RAK has good IB school, which is sensibly priced (certainly a lot cheaper for the IB school I pay for here in DXB). RAK is nice, it has a bit more to offer than Ajman, but is much smaller of course than DXB. If you are looking in DXB, schools are expensive & the bus too. I would be inclined to get the salary + acomm + school fees. The rest you can work on. You getting a job would be easier in DXB as more opportunities here. FYI - although my husband and I both work - we make ourselves live on 30k a mth, covering all our costs, including villa, maid, food, car (x2), school (5yr), & play stuff for DD (3yrs). I really don't think we could live on anything less. It is more expensive here than people think. You mentioned you found a aprt for AED70K, what part of town was that in? Prices can vary lots. And you need to think about easy access for your DH to get to work etc etc Good luck, UAE is great place to be.

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EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 14:37

Hi Kc85, hate to be negative but 25k per month for a family of 4 will probably leave you very stretched in Dubai, particularly if you did want to send the kids to nursery a few days a week. There are definitely cheaper areas to live and you could definitely do it if you had a very very strict budget but things would be pretty tight and would you really be happy? If they could give you a good relocation package as someone else mentioned then this would ease the pressure slightly, also - do they give you annual family flights or would you have to buy these yourself as thats a huge expense. You ask if you should ask for accommodation and car additionally - YES if you think they will give these. Work - thats a whole other thread and you can probably browse to find some recent ones (there was one recently about a woman on her husband's visa) from my own experience no men do not earn more - not if the role is identical, the problem you'll often find with work is that there is always someone else who will accept less to do the same job and many companies will just take the cheaper candidate (which you'll notice when you get to sample the customer service out here!!!) Accommodation - a 2 bed furnished for 70k sounds good! Always bear in mind that if its an apartment there is often VERY little storage space -just something that we've always struggled with. Dont apologise for asking questions, thats what this is for ;)

7

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 14:23

Hmm ok Ajman doesn't sound like the way to go then.. What If we lived in Dubai on 25,000/mth would that work? Should we ask for accomodation and car in addition to the 25k? If we are in Dubai I could work too.. What's the work like for woman and pay etc? I'm just finishing a qualification in financial planning and I work in superannuation which I know won't matter in Dubai! But I also do death and income protection claims etc. is there much of that kind of work? Previous to that I worked in hotel reservations and I've seen a few jobs for that but it only pays about 5000AED/mth.. Do men just earn more in general? What kind of work pays well? I've seen some accomodation for a 2 bedroom furnished for around 70,000 is that good? Sorry for all the questions! I'm thinking we may have to give it a miss otherwise :-(

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EW GURU

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 13:31

Ajman, in rush hour is probably 1.5 hrs drive from Dubai....

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Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 13:25

Don't do it! I visited Ajman for the first time a couple of weeks ago, to visit friends who had moved from Manchester (UK). My firt and last thought was 'why would somebody move from Manchester to Ajman, with 3 little kids?'. They live in one of the newer apartments, but still...there seemed to be very little in the way of things to do with the kids, green space, or other facilities, and she wasn't happy with the international school her eldest child was going to (which was also quite expensive for what was being offered). Needless to say, they'll be moving back to the UK permanently this summer! I am not Australian, but my husband is, and we go to Aus for a couple of weeks every year. The quality of life there is probably far better that what you would be able to have in Ajman on the salary you are being offered, IMO, even if you were able to stay home. and I say this as a working mum (in Dubai) who would prefer to stay home with my littlies. If you were offered a full relocation package to Dubai, and a salary of at around AED35k per month, I would consider it as you wouldnt be paying school fees immediately. but honestly, no amount of money would get me to relocate my family to Ajman (or what i've seen of it).

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EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 11:37

We really struggle and my husband gets a few thousand more than yours is being offered. Although, our rent is just less than AED7k a month and we're paying AED8k a month on school fees which sounds like it's more than you'll be paying. Medical insurance can be a couple of thousand a month. Returning home in the summer is another issue - air fares to Oz (I believe) are more expensive than those to UK and I'm finding it difficult to budget for this partic as I'll need to rent a car and a place to stay. i can't comment on Ajman as never been there. We live 'further' out of Dubai than many expats but we're only 25 mins away from the main areas. I think I would find anything else tough. What's else tough with littlies are the long hours that the DH's tend to work. I would strongly suggest you look at living within Dubai but then you'll need the budget upped as we looked long and hard to find somewhere to live for under AED80k a year.

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EW GURU

Latest post on 10 February 2013 - 11:28

Don't do it! If the company is paying for housing,health insurance,schooling,white goods allowance , car allowance,etc etc then maybe you can survive on 20k. Ajman would be horrible for someone from the city. DH would spend hours on the road driving in traffic. Yes the roads are horrible and you do get used to it but the traffic in peak hours is 6 lanes of bumper to bumper. In saying all that give it a go ...you never know unless you try!

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UAE Emirati Lawyer Awatif Khouri in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Meet the Emirati Woman Breaking Grounds in UAE Law: Awatif Khouri

Dubai's gravity-driven tunnel to reduce flood risks by 700%

Pictured: Flooded roads from the record-breaking storm that hit Dubai in April 2024.

Dubai Flood Risk to Be Cut Down by 700% With New Tunnel

8 Beauty Treatments in Dubai for busy moms

8 Beauty Treatments in Dubai: Self-Care Recommendations for Busy Moms

Mashreq NEO NXT Account | Why Kids and Teens Need Financial Education

Why Teens Need Real-World Financial Education?

E-scooters are no longer banned on the Dubai Metro stations and trains

RTA Finally Lifts E-Scooter Ban From Dubai Metro

Spa packages at Saray Spa in JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai

Step Into the Ultimate Relaxation Bliss With Saray Spa's Pampering Packages

How to book Dubai taxi through WhatsApp

Booking Taxis in Dubai: How to Hail a Taxi Through WhatsApp

Experience Extended Stays and Special Savings at Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort UAE

Soak Up the Summer With the Ultimate UAE Staycation Special

RTA Dubai flying taxi official launch date

Image credit: Joby Aviation.

RTA Finally Confirms Launch Date of Dubai's Flying Taxis

Region's first ever baseball park to open in the UAE

First-Ever Baseball Park in the Middle East Will Be Opening in the UAE

Are "own visa" Domestic Workers legal in the UAE?

Are "Own Visa" and Freelancer Visa Domestic Workers Legal in the UAE?

Where to See Animals in the Wild in the UAE

Where to See Animals in the Wild in the UAE

UAE food delivery scam news

UAE Residents Be Wary of Food Delivery Scams

How to get a car loan in Dubai and UAE

What Are the Requirements For a Car Loan in Dubai?