Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

Have been lurking for some time and only registered today.

Have been offered the following:

Partner and I are both teachers. We've been offered the following package at a very highly respected int'l school in Dubai.

Offer is the following...not sure if it is negotiable or not.

127,000AED each per year----------->254,000AED/annually

flights out and after contract for two of us and our two dependent children

annual home leave flights for four of us

full tuition covered for both kids, though one of them is still in preschool (approx $15,000/yr/child USD)

Worldwide medical insurance
Dental insurance
Small shipping allowance

Housing paid (not sure about amount for this one) for 3bdroom apt or villa (though was told not likely to get one) furnished with appliances/basics near the school

Paid in 12 installments so paid during summer holidays

Monthly pay total 21,188AED.

What do you think, considering we'll have to pay for childcare for 2yr old son (I believe there are facilities at the school) and probably a cleaner!

Will this be enough to live on? Would we be able to send home approx €1000/mo?

I know you're all used to juicy expat packages with all the bells and whistles and 5bdroom villas, but maybe you can help a poor teacher out?

Please answer asap as have to have a decision SOON!

The main question is if housing is truly being paid or whether you are getting an allowance. A 3 bedroom villa will cost you a pretty penny. So make sure that they are actually paying for the housing. With an allowance you would have to pay the difference.

With housing paid and the rest of it works out to US$70K per year (tax free). Lots of people live on that.

Again check the housing thing - it is very expensive here. And get it in writing!

Thanks, Concorde.

Housing is provided, 3bdroom flat in a building with other teachers. Not my ideal. I think if you choose not to live in those apartments, you can get 90,000AED/yr for housing allowance. You would have to supplement to move to a villa. The figure I heard was 130K/yr for a 3bedroom villa in the Greens. Does that sound about right? That would mean we'd have to come up with 40K ourselves. That's about 30% of one of our annual salaries.

What do you think?

Also, any idea on a rough basis cost of a part time non-live-in nanny/cleaner?

Goddess wrote:Thanks, Concorde.

Housing is provided, 3bdroom flat in a building with other teachers. Not my ideal. I think if you choose not to live in those apartments, you can get 90,000AED/yr for housing allowance. You would have to supplement to move to a villa. The figure I heard was 130K/yr for a 3bedroom villa in the Greens. Does that sound about right? That would mean we'd have to come up with 40K ourselves. That's about 30% of one of our annual salaries.

What do you think?

Also, any idea on a rough basis cost of a part time non-live-in nanny/cleaner?

Hey, I'm just a guy with a computer. I need 2,000,000 per year to live....so it's all relative.

Save on the cleaner - do it yourself. You really can't be that busy. It's 2 of you to do the cleaning and the kids will manage!!! Nannies: I'm sure the teachers will be able to help you on that one.

Better yet: sell the kids and use the extra income to get a nice villa!

What is this goat's family? Nanny, billy & kids.

Thanks for your advice...I think?!

Anyway, seriously, 2Mill? What do you spend it on?

Also, do you fancy a girlfriend on the side (joking joking)?

I know expats there who are on the big bucks and I realise that won't be us, so at least I'll know how the other half live.

Still haven't decided!!

What do you mean by "partner"?

Goddess wrote: Anyway, seriously, 2Mill? What do you spend it on?

I said "I need" not "I get"..... I get much more than that

Goddess wrote: Anyway, seriously, 2Mill? What do you spend it on?

I said "I need" not "I get"..... Its turkish lyra anyways.

Husband. Partner has become the new 'pc' word I'm used to using. we're not allowed to ask parents of students about their husbands, we have to say partners, in case they are not married.

Eeeeeee......don't know don't know!
What's the Greens like to live in?

Goddess wrote:What's the Greens like to live in?

Eeeeeee......don't know don't know!

Actually that was a good point about clearing up that your 'partner' is actually your husband. As you would have run into trouble having children out of wedlock here - big no no.

Nope. He's definately my husband.

I know that's frowned upon in Dubai.

Meanwhile, still can't make up my mind!!!

Don't want to be there and be poor! Stuff like WildWadi, beach clubs and going to the desert are the reason why we're moving so wouldn't want to be so tightly budgeted couldn't afford some treats.

Don't expect we'll live as well as old Concord though.

Goddess wrote:Nope. He's definately my husband.

I know that's frowned upon in Dubai.

Meanwhile, still can't make up my mind!!!

Don't want to be there and be poor! Stuff like WildWadi, beach clubs and going to the desert are the reason why we're moving so wouldn't want to be so tightly budgeted couldn't afford some treats.

Don't expect we'll live as well as old Concord though.

I don't know where you will be coming from but $70K (tax free) for a family of 5 is twice the median income in the USA. That salary is 700 dirhams a day! Pretty good when an laborer makes less than that a month. The security guard at the building I used to live was paid 600 dirhams a month working 12 hours a day 7 days a week. The cleaning guys at the office 1100 dirhams per month working 14 hours a day 6 days a week. <<<<<So I don't complain!

Concord

Salaries are considerably higher where I live (in Western Yerp) and the cost of living is the highest in Yerp, so I'm well used to it.

I just can't get my head around the AED currency yet so all the figures don't make much of an impact!

its pretty aright, but 90 k for a villa sounds a bit on the lower side , u might end up adding a lot more to get a villa in the area ur lookin for, but like concord said its a good package and depends on ur lifestyle how much u end up saving.

i guess u have a lot of free time on ur hand, or ur too obssed with getting the answer in a day or two have been seeing u online almost throughout today

all the best

J

You're quite right. I was supposed to give my answer today!!
Now I'm letting out the secret.

Actually, I have been in and out of the house all day today. I just remain logged in out of laziness!

Yes, I mentioned the 90K wouldn't cover a villa so we'd have to supplement. Good news is we found out today there is a waiting list of 20 renters for our house and the rent we can get will be about €200 more than originally thought. Hurrah!

Goddess wrote:Husband. Partner has become the new 'pc' word I'm used to using. we're not allowed to ask parents of students about their husbands, we have to say partners, in case they are not married.

Eeeeeee......don't know don't know!
What's the Greens like to live in?

Greens is OK, however I don't think you will get a three bed for 130k

What about a 3 bedroom flat in the Greens towers?

Yes. We will be taking the 7 to 1 advice.

We're off in August! Yay!

Goddess wrote:Yes. We will be taking the 7 to 1 advice.

We're off in August! Yay!

Good luck and see you in Dubai

Godess,

I think that you are a little bit confussed about The Greens (or at least the person who informed you about it certainly is!). First you asked for a villa there, I am afraid there are only flats. Villas in Emirates Hills are only in The Springs, The Lakes and the Meadows. Flats in The Greens and in The Marina, and Al Barsha (cheaper option). Then you said something about The Greens towers (?), maybe you meant the buildings.

I live in the Greens and I think it's a great place for families, nice playground area, bbq area, gym and pool (although I live in the newest ones, actually The Views area, but the other ones are also nice, but a little less spacious) The location is great, if your life is this side of the creek (like most expats)

But I agree with Sage, I sincerely doubt it that with 130k you'll find a 3br place there, it was hard a year ago, let alone now with the new rent regulations being enforced since Jan, landlords are raising the rents a lot ( since they know that they'll only be able to raise 7% next year)

Good luck!

Thanks, Julieta!

Yes, I was confused!!

I think we've decided to stick with the school's housing the first year and see how it goes and if we are able to afford to save/live enough to pay a supplement to get a flat or villa somewhere else.

I'll have my family on the ground there start looking for us soon!

thanks! We will be working in AlBarsha and that's where my family live so we'd want to be near there. The free accomodation we're offered is in AlBarsha, so we'll start off looking around there and spread out.

Al Barsha has a very good location, just besides the Mall Of the Emirates, easy access to Sheik Zayed Road and it's just beside The Greens (your first choice).

There are lots of new buildings there, no idea how good or bad the quality is though, and how are the facilities, although they have a rather commercial look (no idea if they actually have pools or any other family orientated features)

But I think that you are very lucky if your company provides you with a flat to start with, as you will spare you the terrile hassle that finding a place here is. Especially since you will be based so closely to your work, very lucky indeed! And a nice area too. Then when you get to know the place better, you'll see.

Thanks! It's all starting to settle in now!
I'm most worried about the costs of shipping, settling in, etc. Fortunately, as I said, we've a lot of family there and I'm sure they can all help with the process.

I am just looking around my house now and trying to imagine all our stuff gone and renting it out! What a strange notion. We're not planning a long term relocation; initially we're planning on going for our two year contract and see how it goes after that!

It'll be strange living in a high rise flat after living in our own home with a large garden and lots of great neighbours but we'll find a lot of new adventures there, I'm sure!