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mishmumkin
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 929
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 Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| I would add to adorabilly's comment that Abu DHabi has much less in the way of gym choices than Dubai. Most of those options are beach clubs/gyms, one can expect to pay around 7000 dirhams/year for a FEMALE membership (men paying much more and waiting much longer to be approved). Abu DHabi Health and Fitness does not have a beach, but it is a very nice club (less $$ than the beach clubs). While it is pricey, the money has been worth it for me. |
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missieUAE
Joined: 15 Feb 2009
Posts: 23
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:02 am Post subject: |
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| Why do men need to wait so much longer and pay more? Is it simply because there are more men than women in the UAE? |
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mishmumkin
Joined: 01 Sep 2007
Posts: 929
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:19 am Post subject: |
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| Yes. Clubs like to keep it balanced, and there are always more men applying than single women. |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Adorabilly, you seem to live rather extravagantly:
| adorabilly wrote: |
A mcdonalds value meal (say the 2 cheeseburger one is 14 AED)
A new car can be between 2000 to 4000 AED a month.
Insurance on said car can be like 5000 AED a year (so 500 a month) especially your first year here.
Internet can run between 200 to 400 AED a month
Cell PHone depends on what you want, but 100 AED prepaid is pretty standard
your electricity and water 200 a month in the winter, up to 1500 a month in the summer months
cable TV 200 to 400 AED a month. |
Good Lebanese snacks that are healthier than McDs can easily be found for under 10 Dhs and you can find very filling, good quality Indian thalis / set meals that cost 6-8 Dhs in Abu Dhabi - much better choices than McDs
A new Honda City will cost less than 1800 Dhs in loan repayments for a 3-year loan. (This is assuming you can actually get a loan what with the credit crisis)
My 516k (??) Internet costs 189 Dhs a month - it's pretty fast.
I pay around 30 AED a month in cell phone charges (plus the 20 AED rental). My advice is to get a Wassel account - you just pay the 100 AED fee once a year rather than 240 for the other account).
If you live in an apartment, you'll use considereably less electricity on A/C than in a villa because the building will have central cooling - you'll only pay for the fan that pumps that lovely coolness into your rooms). Those living in villas generally have higher power bills in the summer because they have to pay the electricity for the cooling.
| adorabilly wrote: |
| the other thing to remember is that living in Abu Dhabi you will have between 15 and 20% inflation on EVERYTHING. |
Not true. Gasoline is the same. I visited friends in RAK and Fujarah and found a lot of food was more expensive than AD and Dubai. Cinemas here are 30 Dhs too. Mickey Ds hamburgers are also the same price as elsewhere in the UAE.
Adorabily is right about one thing - You should be able to save 8,000 Dhs of your 12k - especially if you buy a smaller car. |
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adorabilly
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 430
Location: Ras Al Khaimah
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 4:11 pm Post subject: |
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John, did you notice there were 2 important parts to my reply
1. how LARGE you are living?
2. How you can use up 12000 AED a month.
so my answers were designed to answer both of those questions. I was not saying the absolute minimum, as I don't know them for AD. I was saying what I felt was average. If I am mistaken, then I apologize. if you have concrete information to answer the questions with, please feel free to elaborate.
I know some people who get by with a new car for under 1500 a month, and I know one person who is paying nearly 5K a month for the car. Personally I got a used one when we first got here and have been driving it for the last 18 months with only one service charge. (my total then is under 600 AED a month)
Your internet is 189... goody. Mine is 249. so the range of 200 to 400 depending on what you want/need is about right, wont you say?
the price for the cell phone 100 aed is what I pay, and most of my friends pay. So I would also call that standard.
The op asked for Mcdonalds, not local foods. If that was the case I would have stated that you can get good indian/pakistani food under 10 aed per meal.
As for the inflation #, that is from a friend of mine who is now paying 8 AED per schwarma where I pay 3, and the same person who has had their grocery bills nearly double in the last year.
so I wouldn't say I was living extravagantly, just honestly giving several price ranges. |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject: |
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| adorabilly wrote: |
| John, did you notice there were 2 important parts to my reply |
Actually, no I didn't. "Important" parts are usually (better) signposted.
Though I did notice your rather strange and curious use of English:
"1. how LARGE you are living?"
This friend of yours who bases comparative rates of inflation between RAK and AD on the price of a schwarma, is s/he an economist? She/He also lives extravagantly. I pay 4 Dhs in AD for a schwarma, I expect people pay less.
| adorabilly wrote: |
| so I wouldn't say I was living extravagantly, just honestly giving several price ranges. |
Yes, I was giving prices that might actually help the OP. She's worried about the cost of living here - the prices I gave in "inflationary" AD are probably more useful to her.
BTW. I have a friend who says RAK is the most boring place on Earth, but I'd be hesitant to air such a view on this board without spending some time there. I'd think a little more carefully about the basis of your economic facts (?) before airing them. Unless schwarmanomics takes off.  |
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adorabilly
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 430
Location: Ras Al Khaimah
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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Wow, and wonderful for you John.
I truely love the level of snarkiness. Thank you very much. I have now been humbled and put back in my place. I greatly appreciate it.
whew, and to think I was answering the OP's direct question, and not feeling like I could read her mind and provide random answers to unasked questions.
An fer da record, I ain't no engrish teacher, so I type like I speak. The phrase "living large" is part of south western colliquoal (or is it an idiom/slang? who cares) american english. I'm sorry you seem to have never heard of it.
But since you seem to know better, feel free to provide all the information she needs. After all you seem to be the expert.
as for your other opinions you can take them, fold them until they are all sharp pointy corners and shove them where they will do you the most good. Ta ta. |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 2:34 am Post subject: |
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| adorabilly wrote: |
I truely love the level of snarkiness. Thank you very much. I have now been humbled and put back in my place. I greatly appreciate it.
as for your other opinions you can take them, fold them until they are all sharp pointy corners and shove them where they will do you the most good. Ta ta. |
If you don't like being corrected for providing confusing information, perhaps discussion boards aren't for you.
You don;t have to be an English teacher to spell. You just have to be educated. Where did you go to school? |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:54 am Post subject: |
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Maybe you two should take your little debate to PMs as it certainly isn't helpful to the person asking the questions.
In summary missieUAE... it depends on where you live and what you buy...  But, I think you have the general idea... and also a look at the various personalities of the Gulf educational systems.
VS |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| Maybe you two should take your little debate to PMs as it certainly isn't helpful to the person asking the questions.VS |
You are right VS. I would do but do not have my 25 posts yet to be able to PM. I do think Adorabilly should practice what he preached earlier in the thread and not be so thin-skinned. I also know this is not going to help the OP, but rude replies bordering on the offensive like Adorabilly's one above should be removed. There is no place for such outbursts here.
On a note to the the OP - I will gather a "basket" of goods bought at a local Abu Dhabi supermarket if you like and price them - that will give you a better idea of prices here. It might also be useful for someone in other emirates to provide comparison prices to see what price ranges exist within the UAE. My experience on my travels leads me to believe supermarket prices are largely identical. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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I thought that had changed back... I just tried sending you a PM. 
VS |
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adorabilly
Joined: 20 May 2006
Posts: 430
Location: Ras Al Khaimah
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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rude replies bordering on the offensive?
who went after whom?
who accused whom of living rather extravagantly? huh?
who accused whom of lying? huh?
who then insulted who's level of education and location? Huh?
I posted in good faith in an attempt to answer the OP's question and you went after me. Not the other way around.
I am finished posting here.
Thank you very much, and have a great day. |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks VS - you're right.
Now I can PM Adorabilly and remind him for a second time to practice what he preaches and not be so thin-skinned. |
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redcliff
Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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OP
You will make out like an absolute bandit if you are single and earning 12,500.
Further fodder for thought, I have a 5 year loan on a new Hyundai Tuscon and only pay 1300 a month and 2500 a year insurance.
Prices aside, you may want to inquire with any future employer (or perhaps on this board) what they can tell you about bank loans and securing a credit card. Word on the street is the minimum salary to secure either has risen considerably.
And for all your people who feel put out when someone posts a frequently asked question, "vote with your feet" and don't reply.
Or be a dear and post them the link. |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| redcliff wrote: |
| Word on the street is the minimum salary to secure either has risen considerably. |
I heard it's now a salary of 20,000 a month before banks will give you a car loan. I was in my bank the other day and a local Emirati man was screaming at the advisor asking why he couldn't have his credit limit increased. The advisor plainly told him the credit crisis has curtailed the bank's lending and granting of credit. |
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