Job Discussion Forums

[paul.conlong]

Hello all

I've seen job ads for UAE, the salary on offer is 21,000 AED. In terms of living over there, would you come out with much savings in comparison to working in KSA.

I know KSA salary is lower, but accomodation allowance and transportation allowances included. You can still save a fair bit.

UAE, I'm assuming cost of living is higher, in terms of accomodation etc but the salary is slightly higher too. What are yout thoughts?

[nomad soul]

Those UAE positions (I believe with ADEC or ADVETI) do not include housing, which will take a major chunk out of that monthly 21,000 AED. Saudi Arabia offers a much better deal in terms of potential savings.

[paul.conlong]

Thank you very much NS, as i suspected. I've done a little research with whats available online, the accomodation alone in UAE is around £900.00 plus as opposed to KSA which is around £350.00.

I also noted that utilities are highter in the UAE as well.

[izmigari]

When speaking of the cost of utilities in the UAE don't forget their dirty little secret. That little-known aspect is that, if you live in a flat in a building, it doesn't matter how frugal or "eco-friendly" you live utility-wise, the building is billed and the flats are charged equally.

Therefore, I was subsidizing my Emirati neighbor (and who the hell knows how many more!) who's out-of-control brats had the habit of playing out on the balcony comfortably in the 40C weather since the sliding doors were kept wide open so the frigid air could keep them nice and cool!

[veiledsentiments]

That must be something new. I always got a bill with a meter reading and it was predictable based on what I knew that I was using. I wonder if it is something put into the newer construction... perhaps they got ahead of the utility companies ability to keep up. Or it could depend on the city. (I lived in Abu Dhabi)

VS

[izmigari]

[Gulezar]

[dragonpiwo]

Here's a list of what I have paid recently to get into a studio (albeit a nice one).

80,000 Dirhams rent (in 1 installment, that's how they like it in Abu Dhabi)
4,000 commission
5,000 deposit
1000, deposit for electricity and water (ADDC)
750, deposit AC
10,000 furniture

My monthly bills are

570 for net and elife tv channels with Etisalat
about 60 for acs
maybe 300 for water and electricity
food about 2000-3000 (me and the missus)
restaurants if 5* 600 every time (for 2)
if smaller ones about 150 every time (for 2)
we don't drink much but if we go out drinks are between 30 and 50 each, so work out what an evening for 2 costs if you are married
going out for coffee 25 a cup in a sit down and 15 in Costa
renting a car is about 2,000 a month


So do the maths.


I think the offers these days are only really do-able if you're single and have no mortgage back home etc. That way, you don't have school fees and costs of feeding and housing more people. You can also rent a partitioned flat in a house and they are much cheaper but you won't get a Tawtheek contract mostly. However, if you're stumping up the housing then see the first section of my post. You'll need to spend about 100,000 to get housed once everything is taken into account in Abu Dhabi. That's a large chunk of change. You can get hotel apartments from 7 to 8k/month.

[izmigari]

Do the Khalifa Committee still exist? They used to operate out of the Union Bank Building next to the High Commission.

[dragonpiwo]

To sum up, about 10,000 Dhs is needed to pay rent, bills and eat a month and 12, 000 if you rent a car. That is without going out at all. If you're at ADVETI, who seem to be offering 21k that will leave you about 11,000. Every time you fly it will cost 3,000 to get home. 11,000/month is not a whole heap at the prices here, so you'll really have to limit going out unless you are a woman and do the ladies' nights, which provide free drinks for women. A typical brunch is between 200 and 350 for 1 person. A typical boat trip about 300 per person. A beach trip usually involves a taxi there and back, maybe a coffee and maybe a sandwich, which is at least 100. A typical round of drinks 200. It's really easy to blow everything once you do nothing more than eat, sleep and work.

[canadianUAE]

Agree with Nomad, etc...I also brought up the issue of housing with the recruiter for Advetti, (they actually ended up changing it to MOE and teaching in gov't schools, half hour before the interview!)..anyhow I asked they recruiter about the amount one would pay for housing in the UAE...having already lived there I knew the answer, but had a good laugh when she told me for between 3000 to 4000 a month one could get a nice place. I was like, "wow! Is that what you're telling people?" She did say she's never been to the UAE, so didn't really know. I told her maybe they should do their research and that it'd cost minimum 8000 for a decent place, that's 1 bdrm. and god knows where if Abu Dhabi, MAYBE in Mussafah! I also told her they really should be telling people the truth, esp those who'd be bringing their families and have to pay school fees on top of it!

[veiledsentiments]

The majority of recruiters want their commission... honesty about the actual deal to the teacher is optional... and too often irrelevant to them.

VS

[2buckets]

MAYBE in Mussafah

Maybe Bani Yas.

[Mingvase]

when I was in Abu Dhabi I got paid 11000Dirhams a month plus free accommodation. So 21000AED a month without accommodation will leave you with about 13000AED a month which is £2466 a month so what's wrong with that? Are you seriously saying you'd have to put up 80000AED deposit in advance before working for Adeti? that's £15k. Who in the world can afford to do that? And what if the job went *beep* up after a few months???? You'd lose all that deposit and come home broke.

[dragonpiwo]

Yup, they want 12 months rent up front and commissions and that's unfurnished-the price I quoted for a studio not near the beach.

It is what it is. People don't realize that till they get here. You need to shell out 100,000 DHS to set yourself up in a flat and buy furniture give or take 10k.

I've just done it, so know too well.

However, I work for an oil company and make quite a lot more.