ME experts

[stargirl30]

Ok so DH and I are considering a move to the ME. It's the one part of the world we've never been to. Not sure if we can afford a holiday there first so may just be a leap into the unknown. Most likely Dubai or Abu Dhabi. In the UK we live in a small town and a bit nervous about a return to city life. But also excited as feet currently itching badly! Your thoughts please.... We have 2 DCs and would prob have education included in package.

[TarquinMoriartyGruntfuttockII]

I currently live in AD and love it. The kids have a much better life out here than in the UK.

The one thing I will say though is make sure you have school places secured before coming out here. Places in good schools are very popular and there are often waiting lists and you can't just walk into a school and get a place. Also make sure that schooling is included in your package as it is very expensive. How old are your children?

What industry is your DH in? Where abouts are their offices? Do you have any idea of the package they are offering?

[stargirl30]

Actually it would be my package I'm the breadwinner. Am a teacher. DH would prob work once we'd settled in.
Glad to hear you like AD. Does it have a "big city" feel? What sort of things do people do at weekends? Is there much outdoor space eg parks?
Both kids would be primary age by the time we got there.

[ginandtoast]

We were offered dubai and Abu dhabi and chose dubai.

It's a little lot less conservative and in my opinion there's more in Dubai for the children.

It's flipping expensive though, it really is. We wouldn't personally want to do it on just a teacher's salary with two children even with school fees paid for.

The extra are there on top of school fees. And then the activities they want to do. Literally everything other than petrol costs more here ??

So yes, really do your homework. There's a VERY good reason why teachers here are mostly young and single or newly weds on two incomes with no dependents or the second income.

(Even the parks aren't free!)

[TarquinMoriartyGruntfuttockII]

AD is more child friendly than Dubai

If you are a teacher then obviously school fees shouldn't be a problem. Sorry for the sponsor mix up, I really shouldn't assume.

Will PM you.

[stargirl30]

Thanks, this is exactly the sort of thing I want to know. Packages seem to be in the region of 15,000 AED max, plus schooling, accommodation, flights. We are not particularly extravagant but as you say everything is expensive.

[Alligatorpie]

I haven't taught in either place, but dh and I did teach in the ME for three years and we currently teach in Shanghai.
Honestly, there are very few places in the world that I would go to on one teachers salary. You are referring to two international cities and they are expensive. Even if you do live frugally, you will find that things really add up. School uniforms, for example cost over £350 for dd1, and she will need more things for spring. Our school does not cover dcs flights (but we have a very generous housing allowance which helps) so going home at Xmas cost us 4000 USD. I wouldn't want to cover this on one salary.

[Alligatorpie]

My examples are from Shanghai, going back to the UK would be much cheaper and when we were in Egypt we spent way less on uniforms. But you will find things that are much more expensive than you thought.
How difficult would it be for your dh to get work? Some trailing spouses I know sub or teach English, but that depends on visas. I am not trying to put you off, just encouraging you to really think it through. I know several families that have left teaching overseas after one year, as they have struggled financially, and gone home with bills to pay :(

[partialderivative]

What about Muscat, Oman. I teach.

We love it here, much quieter than the Emirates, and quite expensive, however we live comfortably on my salary, and send my DP's home.

You must make sure you get the right school though, there are some crap places out there

[Mustard01]

I've lived in Dubai and I'm now living in AD I would pick AD over Dubai any day. I've also lived in Qatar never again!

[Kelly1814]

Love love love living in Dubai!

15k is not much when you consider housing and school fees etc.

A 3 bed villa for example can be around 200k a year, you have to pay this up front, in one cheque. Electricity and water another 2k a month.

We both work, and I'm still aghast at how much is eaten up by rent and bills.

[Millionsmom]

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are very expensive places to live. Most folk can't manage to save anything, but love the life. 15,000 doesn't seem like you'd have much of a life tbh.
Oman is wonderful! Dubai is not far away - near enough to go visit - the pace of life is much slower and it's cheaper too.

If you are a physics teacher, you can pretty much go wherever you'd like!

[AlphaBravoHenryFoxtons]

I'd also find out more about where it is you'd be living.

[Weebirdie]

Please check how your husband would be covered visa wise as Im not sure you could sponsor him.

[Isthiscorrect]

Loads of men sponsored by their wives. No problem. It happens often in schools when the wife gets a job and the husband doesn't or gets a lesser paid job. In our school there's at least two I know of.

[OrangePeels]

I live in Dubai and I love it. 15k won't go that far unless you have accommodation provided, flights and school places paid for. If those things are covered you would manage just fine.

Accommodation is the most expensive outlay. It's roughly 200k for a 3 bed villa.
Petrol is cheap.
Cars are cheaper than the UK, insurance about the same, tolls on motorways but no road tax.
TV, broadband and phones are very expensive.
Groceries roughly London prices. Imported stuff costs a fortune but local stuff is cheap.
Water and electric cost roughly the same a year as you would pay in the UK for electric, gas, water and council tax combined.
Schools around 40-60k a year. Uniform very expensive. Think £30 for a top!

It also depends on what DH does. If he gets a job locally he would be paid less than an expat but could still earn more than he would in the UK. It is tax free but there are hidden taxes in everything! Such as an outlay of 4k just to connect your villa to the utilities, fees for connecting phones, registering cars etc.

I do know families that have come over on one teachers salary so it is doable!

There are plenty of free parks in Dubai, if you know where to look! There are still free beaches too!
Alcohol is expensive and you need a licence to buy it. The cheapest bottle of wine is around 35dhs plus 30% tax.

Eating out in unlicensed places is cheap. Licensed places cost a fortune!

[stargirl30]

Thanks for all the helpful comments. Sounds like financially it could work. Still unsure as to whether we would like the middle East, we are not city folk as I said in my op