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Mentor for Dubai

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Simon McCrum has lived in Dubai with his family for the past four years. He moved in mid-2001 from Hong Kong where he lived for ten years. Simon works for a British Bank, is in his late thirties, has an English wife and three... See more » Simon McCrum has lived in Dubai with his family for the past four years. He moved in mid-2001 from Hong Kong where he lived for ten years. Simon works for a British Bank, is in his late thirties, has an English wife and three small children. Introduction: Living in Dubai, particularly with small children, is fabulous. For eight months of the year the climate is wonderful, schools are of the very highest standards, crime is very low and there is a very active social life on offer for those who wish to take part and best of all, there is no income tax! Despite some things being incredibly cheap, Dubai is an expensive city. If you are negotiating a 'package' before moving out to Dubai, keep in mind that the cost of living (excluding housing) for a western expat is at least as high as it is in Central London. Since we moved to Dubai expats are now able to buy long term leasehold properties and as a result the ‘traditional’ areas of where western expats live have changed. Jumeirah or Umm Suquiem are still the main areas but there are now many others. The new developments of the Arabian Ranches, Springs, Meadows, Greens, etc have attracted many buyers and a shift of western expats into these new areas has resulted. Buying property in Dubai gives the buyer automatic right to a residency permit though not to a work visa. I have been asked a number of questions on this board about the build quality of the properties for sale. There are concerns, and Dubai is full of stories, mainly ‘urban myths’ I would suggest, of things that have gone wrong. There is no doubt that the earlier developments had their fair share of problems, but these seem to have been addressed and the later phases of developments seem to be okay. Families still tend to live in villas, either bungalows or two storey buildings, which are often part of a 'compound'. Despite a huge amount of new properties coming onto the market, the last 18 months have seen some dramatic increases in the annual rents of family villas. As a very rough guide a three/four bedroom villa in Jumeirah or Umm Suquiem will now cost between AED 120-160K per annum. This is up probably 30% or so from a couple of years ago. Bigger villas or villas with their own pools will be more expensive. Furnished or un-furnished apartments are also widely available. Rent for villas in Jumeirah or Umm Suquiem do not differ wildly though a good hunt through what is available might throw up some 'bargains'! Mirdiff remains an area to look at for family villas at a cheaper rate than Jumeirah. Climate: Winter sunshine averages eight hours per day, while the summer figure reaches as high as eleven hours a day. The climate of the UAE is, generally, hot and dry. The summer months, from June to September, are too hot for comfort. Midday temperatures range from 35°C to 42°C, and occasionally top 49°C at the height of summer. From December to March, the climate is considerably more equable with midday temperatures ranging from 25 to 35°C and falling to as low as 9°C at night. Whilst much is written about the fierce heat of Dubai in the summer (and with good reason!) the fact remains that for eight months of the year the climate of Dubai is extremely pleasant; warm, dry days and clear blue, cloudless skies. Getting around: As anyone will tell you driving on the roads of Dubai is the biggest danger to life and limb that expatriates face day to day. Dubai has one of the highest motor accident rates in the world per head of population and young male UAE nationals have more chance of being killed in a car accident than a young male has anywhere else in the world. Motor cars are tax free and as a result relatively inexpensive. Generally Western expatriates tend to buy 4x4 vehicles as off-roading and camping are two very popular recreational pastimes during the cooler months. There is also the added bonus of the security and safety offered by bigger, heavier cars. Petrol is still very cheap despite a 30% increase in July 2005. A litre of unleaded fuel cost approximately eleven British pence. Leaded fuel is no longer sold in See less »

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cost of living, dubai, money

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