Job offer & expenses in Abu Dhabi

Expert Info

Posted by

on 29 Jun 2012

Hi my husband has an offer to move to AD and would love to know whether it is an offer we should accept given our circumstances. We are a family of 3 (1 very young baby)& only he will be working: Salary is USD 18.000 per month Most of the normal benefits. Is buying a nearly new second hand car a good idea? Is the salary package being offered sufficient? What should our average monthly utility expenses be? Average grocery bills? We both like to play golf and go to the gym. What about monthly costs relating to these? Any other expenditures we are likely to incur I havent thought about? Thanks for responding!

Anonymous (not verified) on 29 Jun 2012 - 14:23

Also we have a dog. Is it a good idea to bring the dog? I've read that UAE is very dog unfriendly.

Anonymous (not verified) on 16 Jul 2012 - 13:38

Wow! The speed and number of responses is somewhat overwhelming. Sign of things to come once we get there?!

Anonymous (not verified) on 17 Jul 2012 - 07:45

Hi UKMover, the cost of living in Abu Dhabi can be quite steep, and whether the salary you mention will be enough for you and your husband all depends on your own circumstances and your own standard of living. Accommodation will most likely be your biggest expense, and it will definitely be worth buying a car, as the public trasnport system in Abu Dhabi is far from comprehensive. Also, ensure that your husband's company provides some kind of private coverage package for healthcare - they are required by law to finance expat health insurance. I suggest having a look at our Cost of Living in Abu Dhabi page for a breakdown of what you can expect for the items you have mentioned, and check out our Buying a Car.

For information on taking your pet with you to Abu Dhabi, have a look at our article on Moving with pets to the UAE.

There have also been a number of comment threads on our forum on this particular topic. You can use the left hand drop down menu to select to see only questions about Abu Dhabi to see what other expats have had to say about living in Abu Dhabi.

Good luck with your move!

Anonymous (not verified) on 24 Jul 2012 - 19:26

Thank you! Thank you!

Anonymous (not verified) on 11 Aug 2012 - 21:16

If a company doesn't provide me with accommodation.. what is the average housing allowance provided?

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