Is this a fair offer for a graduate job in Abu Dhabi?

Hi sam538, whether this salary will be enough to live in Abu Dhabi really depends on your own lifestyle and monthly expenses. On the surface it doesn't seem too bad a salary. However, the fact that your company won't be covering your accommodation, means that you'll have to foot the bill for housing, which is likely to be your biggest expense in the emirate. Another major expense will include transport - Abu Dhabi doesn't have a great public transport system, so you may have to consider buying a car.

In general, the cost of living in Abu Dhabi is quite steep. A great resource you should have a look at is our page on Employment packages in Abu Dhabi. For more on finding an apartment, take a look at Accommodation in Abu Dhabi.

Hi Sam,

Firstly, you didn't say what field of work you'll be going into. This will effect your salary.

You are going to be looking at spending at least AED 70,000 to 90,000 on accomodation, if your are to share a flat with others. Obviously, rents on one bedroom places will be more.

Another cost you may incur is that of a car. Having you own vehicle in Abu Dhabi is not essential, buses are readily available. However, most expats do opt to get their own wheels.

The cost of groceries are reasonable if you choose local produce over imported goods. 

I think the rest will ultimatley depend on your lifestyle choices. AED 190,000 seems pretty decent for entry level position. However, you may want to try and negoatiate for some sort of accomodation allowance.

Check out our Cost of Living in Abu Dhabi and Contract negotion in Abu Dhabi to make an informed decision before taking the next step.

Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank You for the replies! Shantalie, I got a graduate position at a small consultancy firm (around 20 employees). I have two more questions: 1) Is there a good website for searching for accomoddation in Abu Dhabi? 2) Also, I heard that it is harder for some passports to get work permits over others? If so, is there an official list of the nationalities somewhere?