Dubai offer

[meditereb]

My husband got an offer for dubai . The package is around 40000 UAE per month .
We have 2 kids and i intend to either find work when i am there or continue my current contracting job from there .
My question is regarding schooling and good areas to live in and if this amount of money is good .
The job is in an area called Al Hudaiba. The recruiter has recommended the following areas to live in : Business Bay, Al Satwa, Sheikh Zayed Road, Meydan City, Jumeirah 1,Jumeirah Villa Circle, Al Barsha
is anyone familiar with these areas and are they good for families ? My children will be 5 and 7 by the time we move . What schools are good around those areas and how much would they cost ?

Thank you so much !

Bump !

A quick Google using Jumeirah as the base (because I've heard of it as an expat location - I was middle east, not UAE) gives:
https://dubai.dubizzle.com/en/property-for-rent/residential/villahouse/in/jumeirah/56/and/3-bedroom/ rent 240,000] or 20,0000 a month.

Random British school I have no idea on quality or ranking of, but same area average 60,000 pper chid per year in primary. So, another 10,000 a month.

Leaving you aprox 10,000 a month for everything else. Is Healthcare included in the package? I don't know if utilities are trpically included in UAE rents, a car, flights home, food. And hopefully some savings.

You might need some similar figures for some of the other areas to see if ive randomly picked the most expensive.

Check the visa details. Assuming your husband is sponsored you will not be able to work.

Thank you ! I found that as well but i am not sure if living in other areas a bit further is better or the schools are better in central areas . Ideally i am looking for people who live there and can recommend based on the above
It seems to me that 40000 Doesn't go that far

I have a ltd company and i charge a day rate i work remotely from home . Would i need a visa to do that ? I will be paid in my uk business account and my clients are in uk .i don't intend to do it full times just some contracts here and there . So my husbands salary would be the main one.

Sorry for the name change fail 🤣

40k a month is OK if as well as that you get school fees for two kids and a housing allowance. Also, ideally visa costs for you and DC and medical insurance for all of you, not just DH, amd return flights annually for at least DH. If the offer doesn't include these, you run the risk of being worse off. You can spend e.g. 1800 a month on car lease, another 1500 on your DEWA bill and more in summer, then food, phones, travel etc. Petrol is the only thing that's cheap here.

DH's employer sponsors him ie provides his visa and then DH sponsors you and DC. You can work on his sponsorship if he gives your employer a no objection letter. You'll also need one to exchange your driving licence and have a bank account - which is why I asked my employer to sponsor me so I can feel like an independent adult!

Thank you ! I think 40 is the total package 35 salary and 5 for family allowance . Sounds like we will be worse off on his salary alone if i could work as well then maybe but i am not sure if i could find any work there as my industry is quite niche
What about areas ? Is the ones the agency suggested ok for families and schools ?

Do you want a house or an apartment? Business Bay is apartments only, Meydan is pricey, Al Barsha mostly local/Arab but has more villas than apartments, JVC a mixture of both but traffic there can be horrendous.

We lived in South Ridge area of Business Bay, then Downtown, then moved out to Mira, where the same type of compact 3 bed house we rented for 140k is now on offer for 200k just two years later. We also paid a year's rent up front, and it's important to note that paying rent monthly is rare here. Quarterly is as good as it gets in some areas.

Honestly I would rethink. It sounds like you would be financially worse off and the lifestyle out there could be very expensive. For that money it sounds like a lot of hassle for not much gain.

Ideally a house in a family community area

My husband doesn't mind driving a bit to work but we dint want to be too far from schools .
I have travelled to dubai multiple tines and really enjoyed the facilities etc especially for young kids
Our plan would be to live there for their primary years and then move back for secondary schools
All the posts i have read seem to suggest 40k is enough yo live for a family . I would get a job at some point too if i cant work with my current clients while abroad i need to consult my accountant for that

40,000 Dirhams isn't much if it doesn't include housing, schooling, and healthcare. Can you renegotiate the offer?

40k is enough when you get at least housing allowance and school fee allowance on top. Without that, you're struggling to have the same quality of life you would have in the UK.

'A house in a family community area' essentially means a community where your kids can play out and make friends. Therefore, you need to look at developments like Arabian Ranches, Mira/Mira Oasis, Dubai Hills, The Villa, Silicon Oasis, Villanova, The Greens, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Town Square, Damac Hills. Google Maps and the Property Finder app will help you to work out travel times. As I said, we lived in Mira until 2022 and our house was 140k at the time, paid in one instalment up front. We had to relocate a year later and it was relet for 185k.

Thank you for the areas mentioned i will look them up
@Mercurial123 healthcare is included for the whole family plus one trip back home

Even if healthcare is included, rent, utilities, and schooling will be expensive.

This might be useful

www.propertyfinder.ae/blog/cost-of-living-in-dubai/

Why would you move to a country which runs on indentured labour and where you could be arrested for being raped? I just don't get why so many people do it (well, I do, because it's a cash cow, but it sounds like it won't even be that for you).

Am i missing something ?
40k per month

Rent 180k a year so 15k per month
School two kids around 90k a year 7.5k per month
Car 2k
Utilities 2k
Food 2.5k per month

So that means 11k per month after main bills what am i missing ?
I will definitely bring some income as well

You’re missing after school activities (I don’t have children here, but I hear they’re expensive), mobiles, school bus etc. And your rent looks too low. I pay that for a one-bed flat. You’ll haemorrhage money here for the first few months.

Thank you i used this website for rent it seems is that much

https://www.bayut.com/to-rent/2,3-bedroom-property/dubai/business-bay/?locations=%2Fdubai%2Fmeydan-city%2C%2Fdubai%2Fsheikh-zayed-road%2C%2Fdubai%2Fal-satwa%2C%2Fdubai%2Fjumeirah%2Fjumeirah-1&ipckg=true&pricemax=120000&gclid=CjwKCAjwtNi0BhA1EiwAWZaANGKAbWv2hlqB5Kp7gaVpA0sQ5LfDx8JYT1JBuf55hlBrZPzOjspeFRoCO6YQAvDD_BwE

These are the areas the agent suggested but i had a look at the others mentioned as well and is looks u can get 3 beds for around 200k how much would you expect ?
I guess we could negotiate school fees in the salary pack is it the norm to offer that on top ?

My neighbour moved back to the uk with her dc because on 50k a month it wasn't enough to cover expenses without really scrimping. (I obviously don't know what she defines as scrimping). He still works there part of the year but travels a lot, they pay for hotel when he needs to be there now

Thank you was that combine salary or just his own ?
I am expecting to also make around 5k (british pounds ) per month ! But obviously we need to save some as well

Have you joined the FB group “British mums in Dubai” These women will be able to tell you about school fees/distances/travel time etc and where will be good to live with children. I honestly don’t think that 40k is enough to live here and save.

Thank you ! I did my request is still pendinh

School fees and rent allowance should ideally be part of the package. Rent allowance might not be enough to cover where you want to live, and school fee allowance might not cover the school you want to send your kids to, but it's a start. Decent UK curriculum schools start at around 45k for the youngest year groups and goes up according to the age of the child (picking South View at random, it goes from 45k for FS1 up to 65k for y13). Look at whichschooladvisor.com website and schoolfinder.ae. Bus fees vary according to the distance from home to school.