Shall we move Dubai from London - money and package concerns - please help!

Your package works out to just about 36,000 AED a month. People in Dubai quote their incomes monthly rather than yearly. It is not a brilliant package or even a comfortable package but a doable package for a family of three with one baby. These are your expenses, based on what you described as your requirements: 3-bedroom villa for 180,000 AED yearly 2 cars (a variable but assuming you take out loans or rent): 4,000 a month for two midrange cars, or 48,000 a year. Utilities (varies, of course but let's average 2,000 a month for the villa): 24,000 AED 5% housing tax (payable divided into 12 months): 9,000 AED Internet/TV package: 6,000 a year for a basic one. So far you are spending 267,000 AED Day to day living expenses including groceries, petrol, light lunches out, coffees at Starbucks, cheap takeaways (many variables, of course): 2,000 a week for a modest lifestyle = 102,000 AED across the year. Now we're up to 369,000 AED for the year. The remainder is 61,000 AED, out of which you will need to pay for car insurance, minor repairs, clothing, any holidays, any topping up of health insurance and so forth. A nice meal out for a couple with one or two drinks each at a pleasant restaurant can easily cost 3-400 AED. As you can imagine, you will probably end up spending almost all of it and finish the year with minimal savings. As you can see, it's so easy to spend your entire income just on having a quiet, albeit still decently comfortable life in Dubai. But when the time comes for nursery, will you have the money for the fees? You can pay the fees, but there goes the holidays. Then school starts and you're even in a worse position. What people in your position do is primarily live in flats. Find a comfortable 2-bedroom apartment for 120,000. Your housing tax will only be 6,000 AED. Your utilities will be in the hundreds rather than the thousands. Live in the Marina and avoid a second car. Avoid shopping at Spinneys or Waitrose and buy all your food at Carrefour and you'll save a bit more. Now you can live comfortably enough and save money even with a nice holiday or two each year. Or you accept that you will save no money and treat the next few years as a holiday and plan on leaving Dubai before your baby is old enough for school. Or you can decide to look for a job after taking a year or two off. Working part time is not common and you still need someone to look after your baby so you hire a maid after all, which eats up much of your part time income. So most people end up taking a full time position. DH always used to say that 50,000 AED a month was the benchmark for a family in the UAE wanting a nice middle class western lifestyle. Above that you can live comfortably and save money. Below that (in the 40s) you can live comfortably but not save any money. This is assuming you have school or nursery fees to pay. As you are setting on the path of having a family with possibly future babies, this is something you need to be aware of in the long run. We are in similar predicament should i move over with family to Dubai on package offered. Reading your response made me want to ask what would be a good monthly package deal for a family of 6? I have three school going children FS2-Yr7 age group and am looking between jebel Ali and GEMS first point school I just want indication of what's a good figure to cover fees and expenses and housing and still be comfortable?

We had less than that and were paying 120k a year school fees BUT our rent was only 100k. We saved nothing. I suggest you maybe look at living in say Motor City and save money on rent Or if you look at Layan or Remraan you can find 2 or 3 bed apartments for under 120k. We had a ground floor three bed in Layan with a small garden..communal pool, gym and supermarket and play area. Think they are going for anything between 110 and 130k at minute. Package is def workable but I def think best looking for cheaper accommodation. This will also reduce your housing fee which is 5% of your annual rent. Utilities will also be cheaper in an apartment ie our utilities aND housing fee around 700 AED a month whereas in a villa can be upwards of 2k a month. If you aren't working then it may work just to pay for cleaning for say three hrs a week rather then hire and sponsor a maid. In two years time or so you will need to consider how you will pay school fees...currently anything from 40k a year upwards...

Your package works out to just about 36,000 AED a month. People in Dubai quote their incomes monthly rather than yearly. It is not a brilliant package or even a comfortable package but a doable package for a family of three with one baby. These are your expenses, based on what you described as your requirements: 3-bedroom villa for 180,000 AED yearly 2 cars (a variable but assuming you take out loans or rent): 4,000 a month for two midrange cars, or 48,000 a year. Utilities (varies, of course but let's average 2,000 a month for the villa): 24,000 AED 5% housing tax (payable divided into 12 months): 9,000 AED Internet/TV package: 6,000 a year for a basic one. So far you are spending 267,000 AED Day to day living expenses including groceries, petrol, light lunches out, coffees at Starbucks, cheap takeaways (many variables, of course): 2,000 a week for a modest lifestyle = 102,000 AED across the year. Now we're up to 369,000 AED for the year. The remainder is 61,000 AED, out of which you will need to pay for car insurance, minor repairs, clothing, any holidays, any topping up of health insurance and so forth. A nice meal out for a couple with one or two drinks each at a pleasant restaurant can easily cost 3-400 AED. As you can imagine, you will probably end up spending almost all of it and finish the year with minimal savings. As you can see, it's so easy to spend your entire income just on having a quiet, albeit still decently comfortable life in Dubai. But when the time comes for nursery, will you have the money for the fees? You can pay the fees, but there goes the holidays. Then school starts and you're even in a worse position. What people in your position do is primarily live in flats. Find a comfortable 2-bedroom apartment for 120,000. Your housing tax will only be 6,000 AED. Your utilities will be in the hundreds rather than the thousands. Live in the Marina and avoid a second car. Avoid shopping at Spinneys or Waitrose and buy all your food at Carrefour and you'll save a bit more. Now you can live comfortably enough and save money even with a nice holiday or two each year. Or you accept that you will save no money and treat the next few years as a holiday and plan on leaving Dubai before your baby is old enough for school. Or you can decide to look for a job after taking a year or two off. Working part time is not common and you still need someone to look after your baby so you hire a maid after all, which eats up much of your part time income. So most people end up taking a full time position. DH always used to say that 50,000 AED a month was the benchmark for a family in the UAE wanting a nice middle class western lifestyle. Above that you can live comfortably and save money. Below that (in the 40s) you can live comfortably but not save any money. This is assuming you have school or nursery fees to pay. As you are setting on the path of having a family with possibly future babies, this is something you need to be aware of in the long run.

Just to also add remember when the job market is tough and companies are searching to make cuts, they will look at the most costly employees first . Have seen this happen, So while you may feel a bit fed up about the package deal , I think you may see changes in the company and packages been removed from present employees or redundancies ?

i know this maybe stating the obvious but have you actually gone to the company and asked them for extra money or told them how you feel about some getting the accommodation and others not ? sorry if i have stated the obvious and i do not wish to offend. I negotiated my contract and I got what i wanted - i am coming out to Dubai in October. :)

Hi Just to add, not sure if company are helping to pay for your relocation. If not you will need to add in the cost of bringing furniture or buying it in Dubai. A lot of villas do not have kitchen equipment ie fridge, cooker washing machine.We have never had a package which included schools , housing or anything else as in my husbands line of work we just don't get them and from what I gather it's getting more common. We have lived in the Middle East for 7 yrs now, including Bahrain and Doha I have to say for our daughter and us to ithas been a fabulous experience, It's not for everyone and you need to give it time and a fair chance , if you do you may find like us we can't imagine living back in the UK ??

I've also just remembered about a company called "Mums@workME". They often advertise via FB and LinkedIn offering positions to suit Mums with children.

There's nothing to stop you starting small and then moving on as and when you can afford it. It's taken us three moves to finally become settled. We've also taken out a maintenance contract ourselves purely so we know that is anything goes wrong, especially the A/C at this time of year, we won't spend time trying to sort it via the landlord. Cost about 4 - 5 k Regarding the gardens, we've previously either dug it up and taken it with us or sold on via facebook!!

Hi McDuds2014, I had a great job back home but as DH was having to work abroad it was a no brainer for me to up sticks to be with him. We had no help with school fees, accommodation or car etc etc. So it was pretty tough but we managed it. Now having been here over 5 years I can honestly day I haven't regretted a day. Apart from the very hot summer months. But we all find something to complain about during that time. I do not live in a villa but that is down to our own preference and I certainly can understand your wanting a garden and a villa for your little girl too. As long as there is a communal pool which, personally, I believe important not only for keeping cool, having fun and socialising with others too. I am sure there are many ladies on here that can advise on best areas for villas too. But just be warned that should you do anything to a garden such a grass, shrubs trees etc... the 'whole lot ' usually. has to be uprooted if you ever decide to move out. Such a shame I think when people put so much money and love into them just to see it all dug back up again. That is what I am led to believe anyway, unless that has changed recently. Dubai is a really lovely and amazing place but it can be costly. If you can afford to save after all your regular and unexpected bills without ever borrowing you should be fine. You're little girl is also young enough to give you the chance to experience the place without having extra worry of uprooting her from a school too, should you not like it and decide to return home. Basically what is great for some can be misery for others. You could even go to a serviced or short rental, for a week or so, to help you decide and view more areas too. These can be a bit pricey but better than regretting handing over an annual rental cheque and signing for a year. There are also a few sites on Facebook which you can also check out covering various areas here. These can be buying or selling items, advice, cars, removals etc. :)

Usually you would have to find a years rent in advance unless the landlord concerned accepts 4 cheques or you're extremely lucky enough to pay monthly. Your utilities seem quite high. If that would be your usual costs for a villa then I would consider an apartment where they would be considerably lower. Also being in a villa, depending on where you'll be located can have transportation issues. Unless you have 2 cars. Yes taxi's are plentiful but not always on your door step around villa's but you could call for them. Obviously you won't have schooling issues just yet but they are pretty expensive too. Obviously depending on where you'll live you may also need to think ahead of school bus collection and drop off. Once again a hefty cost. Nursery costs may need to be considered. Contents insurance advisable. Hopefully your husbands company would also arrange all your residency visa's? Will his company arrange medical insurance for you all? You'll need it. Will his company supply a car? One less to worry about. Maintenance costs on your accommodation. Very few are free, most places the tenant pays the first 500 dhs or 1000dhs for every repair. Landlord usually covers A/C and its maintenance but this needs to be checked and put in the tenancy contract. Most landlords here you hardly ever get to meet and agreements are arranged by the agent. Make sure agents are registered with RERA too before handing over any money. You also pay agents fees and deposit too in advance. Basically its a landlords paradise. Yes, working part time is rare here. Especially office work and for westerners. Depending on where you go to get groceries you can save if you shop around, go to the big supermarkets. Not sure if I've rambled on a bit but hopefully these articles may help too. Good Luck. xx http://www.expatwoman.com/dubai/monthly_property_renting_in_dubai_13221.aspx http://gulfnews.com/guides/life/law-finance/ask-the-law/housing-rent/rera-dubai-rental-law-for-landlords-and-tenants-1.1573821 http://www.expatarrivals.com/dubai/buying-a-car-in-dubai