Job Discussion Forums

[Sheikh N Bake]

Don't mean to be flip but I thought everything was free in socialist paradise of Canada! Gosh-o, with the taxes you pay there, I should think you deserve a free master's as long as you are accepted through merit.

[MsParker]

Umm... 15 years and 3 countries later... and I am still paying off my Canadian student loans!

[setesuta]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to this blog.

"The days of the Gulf being a place where you could arrive and save large sums in a short time are long gone. " said scot47

Can you please tell how much one would need to get by on (food, bills) in the UAE? We are looking into going abroad for a couple of years and would be nice to have a realistic idea about the prospects of life in the UAE.

Thanks.

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

No way to know or tell. You give no information. What are your quals? What's your lifestyle? Do you teach secondary or tertiary? What your experience?

All are important to know before one could hazard a guess.

However, I'd listen to scot. He's been in this part of the world for quite a while and have seen generations come and go. It's still O.K., but a LOT of changes over the past decade.

One thing I CAN tell you, if you come here with minimal quals you get what you paid for. Even is saudi which used to be a mecca for the slightly/under qualified is getting nastier and nastier with the recruiters popping up over the last few years...


...and it seems like the trend of the future.

NCTBA

[setesuta]

Sorry for being secretive.

I understand that times are getting tougher, they are at most places.

We do have a job offer at hand - on the tertiary level, in a smaller city, housing provided, etc. What we are trying to figure out is what the offer means in terms of finances.
The main reason for tearing up roots here in the US and hauling a small family across the world is to save a bit if it's possible. We are very low key, boring people. We don't/can't even eat out because of dietary restrictions. Really, very boring. I figure we may need a car in the long run, I guess you either put your money into that or pay for cabs.

So the question is really about the cost of living. Can it be that it's higher there than here in the US? Would we be spending more on groceries and diapers there than here?

[homeless vet]

I've no clue about the cost of diapers, but groceries are cheaper for the most part, as are cars, gasoline, clothes that aren't name-brand Western imports, appliances, furniture, etc. Things that cost more than in the US are 3G & broadband (don't even get me started about "Itsucksalot," the main provider here), CDs, DVDs, pork and anything that contains a pork byproduct, and alcohol. Yes, it is possible to save money, provided you don't get sucked into the vortex of drinking out of boredom, buying a luxury car that you could never afford at home (and which you will lose money on in the end) and filling your villa with a bunch of stuff you'll end up selling for pennies when you leave.

[15yearsinQ8]

don't buy your groceries at the big name supermarkets aimed at rich westerners (sultan center and spinneys, cherfour, etc)
ask middle class indians where they shop (maybe the uae has city center)
likewise with clothes and furniture
rethink your menus - bags of rice are cheap as are LOCAL or REGIONAL vegetables (forget buying baby carrots shipped in from the usa, you could practically get a 5kg bag of local for that)
local chicken slaughered fresh and lamb should replace beef in your diet (healthier too)
you can save in the middle east, but as in the us, it takes some planning and knowledge to do so

[meritpay]

I would agree with the above about 'going native' when shopping, especially for food. I started out at the Abu Dhabi Co-Op when I first came to the UAE, many years back, and there should be a similar cheapie supermarket, best value for fresh fruit and veg., in your city/town too.

As for transport, I would recommend a car, and remember that you can get something brand new for as little as 40,000 dirhams ($11,000?). If you get a three-year loan, it works out as very affordable indeed - just over 1,000/- a month.

Regarding savings, I can still get by on just about half my salary, and that's with one child (and one spouse!) to support. Like you, we rarely, if ever, eat out at restaurants, and I gave up drinking booze years ago.

So it shoyud be a good opportunity for you to save - assuming they're paying you enough for starters (at least 15,000 a month?).

good luck

[setesuta]

Your answers are very helpful and greatly appreciated!

In fact, they are very encouraging for me to come forward with more questions (and to warn you, these questions are pretty random):

-can you trust food labeling? (we are struggling with food allergies)
-can you find turkey breast in stores? (our son is hooked on this one soup I make); we love slaughtered fresh chicken as long as it's not me beheading and de-feathering it
-are bed bugs a concern in the UAE? Apparently here in the US it's an increasing problem; I'm asking in case we end up buying second hand furniture
-can any appliances, like a washing machine, be expected with unfurnished accommodation or should that be part of negotiation?
-are we to get driver licenses there or will our US DLs be accepted?
-what company does one use to ship stuff? Our stuff should be rather minimal but would definitely include books and books, some DVDs, CDs and maybe an all region DVD player?
-do you like the bread you get there?
-is biking around an option?

I know it's a lot of questions. It would be just nice to be less clueless than we feel right now.
Thank you.

[veiledsentiments]

-can you trust food labeling? (we are struggling with food allergies)

The only food labeling will be on imported foods

-can you find turkey breast in stores? (our son is hooked on this one soup I make); we love slaughtered fresh chicken as long as it's not me beheading and de-feathering it

Turkey will not be common except around Christmas... whole only probably and expensive. I only bought my chicken in a super market

-are bed bugs a concern in the UAE? Apparently here in the US it's an increasing problem; I'm asking in case we end up buying second hand furniture

Never heard it mentioned here... but as far as bedding, I'd be buying new. They have IKEA there for cheap furniture.

-can any appliances, like a washing machine, be expected with unfurnished accommodation or should that be part of negotiation?

Not negotiable and often not provided - certainly not a washing machine. Some places have kitchen appliances already. Some places give a furniture allowance.

-are we to get driver licenses there or will our US DLs be accepted?

You must get a local license. Easy enough to do... be sure your US has a few years to run. You only have to take the eye test and provide some paperwork.

-what company does one use to ship stuff? Our stuff should be rather minimal but would definitely include books and books, some DVDs, CDs and maybe an all region DVD player?

Go to an airline and send it airfreight on your own. Talk to your employer about this. Easy to do if you are near a large international airport

-do you like the bread you get there?

Some of it... but that doesn't mean that you will. To give you a hint... I loathe 90% of the stuff passed off as "bread" in the US.

-is biking around an option?

It depends on how strong your death wish is. Decide this after you arrive.

Some of these questions depend on where you will be. Slightly different situations in different cities.

VS

[15yearsinQ8]

bread? I just had my 20fils daily (1 piece = 6 cents)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnQAXXpstVs

places like that are all over the middle east
every neighorhood has an iraninan bread man

[Tom Le Seelleur]

Small family would mean two kids (young I assume). You could get by easily on 6-8,000 dhs per month especially as you are boring, never go out folk unless to the park sort of people or entertain at home. I have a large family so don't listen most on this board as they haven't got a clue. Many are single.
Where will the jiob is my question as this can raise or lower the figure.
Regards
Tom

[usa_in_gulf]

All food that is canned, boxed, bagged is labeled. This applies to both imported and locally produced products. But I am not sure if I trust all the labeling. For example, a can of peas produced in Oman simply list the ingredients as �peas, salt, water�. A can of UAE tuna says that it contains �tuna, salt, water�.

Most often locally produced items list the ingredients in both English and Arabic. Sometimes, the ingredients are listed just in Arabic.

Turkey is available at Carrefour. This is a chain of food stores throughout the Gulf. I believe there are about a dozen locations throughout the UAE. (http://www.carrefouruae.com/) You may not be able to find whole turkeys all the time there but you can find sliced turkey both at the deli counter and in packages at Carrefour.

Carrefour is not expensive but another food store chain to check is Lulu (http://uae.luluhypermarket.com/). They may be a little bit cheaper than Carrefour, but I am not really sure.

As far as I know, Sultan Center (a Kuwaiti based food chain) is not in the UAE. If I am wrong, good for you because the definitely have whole turkeys all year long!

Check out the Carrefour and Lulu websites. They have their weekly flyers online. This should will give you an idea of the cost of food and other items. (Can you find cheaper places to food shop? Yes, you can. But both Carrefour and Lulu are usually well stocked and clean. Sometimes you don�t find this in the �cheaper options�.)

Hope this helps some!

[setesuta]

Yeah, boring, mixed with some traces of a tree-hugger and a pinch of Californian granola. Long hikes are our thing, although I'm not sure how our toddler feels about those yet. Just one kiddo, though.

The town in question is Ras al Khaimah. Anyone familiar with the place?

[Never Ceased To Be Amazed]

It's the hip-hop capital of the U.A.E. ... ...

NCTBA