Salaries in Dubai

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Discussion

will_968

Original Poster:

2,138 posts

265 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
If someone were a single guy working in telecoms sales in the UK, earning £65k base + £20k commission, and looking to make an internal move within the same company to Dubai, what is a realistic salary should they be looking for? Would this buy them a "better" standard of living than they have in the UK? Their main expenses in the UK from highest to lowest are a cars , mortgage, entertainment and holidays in that order. As it's an internal move, they are expecting be be able to get a pay rise as such - just want to make sure it's "fair", attractive, and they aren't being sold short/loosing out in any way.

Any input appreciated.

Edited by will_968 on Tuesday 19th August 10:29

Vanya

2,058 posts

245 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Hi Will,

The main determining factor in your situation is that it's an internal move. This will likely mean a minimal financial impact, if any increase is realised at all. This location, Dubai/Abu Dhabi, has long since lost it's "hardship" category.

I took a fairly significant drop in the financial package to come here last year, then again my circumstances differ quite a lot from yours, probably.

Now, where you may see an indirect financial gain is if your company offers you an "expat package" along with your salary, which provides you with an accommodation/local transport allowance, etc.

Hope this helps,

V.

will_968

Original Poster:

2,138 posts

265 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Thanks Vanya.

I've just spoken with HR and am being offered 460k AED (inc. base, housing, car) and 110k AED commission, plus 27k AED to cover relocation expenses. Having just spent half an hour analyzing this, I'm thinking it's a decent offer, and should afford me a better standard of living over in Dubai than in the Thames Valley are of the UK. Does this sound correct? Any thoughts on how that salary in Dubai relates to the UK?

Any input again much appreciated.

Vanya

2,058 posts

245 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Hi Will,

It's a little difficult for me to give the comparisons you're asking for, as my industry is oil and gas, plus I'm (usually) on a freelance/contractor employment basis.

Other chaps here are probably better quaified to help with this comparison.

I can observe that your base AED salary is close to the salary you quote in your original post, the commission is approx 5k USD short and the relocation allowance looks quite generous, imho.
The other plus, for you if the trend continues, the AED is fixed (for now) to the USD and over the past few days I've noticed the USD seems to strengthening. If this is not a glitch then for us poor souls whose income is tied to the USD it's good news at last and means you could be quids in, so to speak.

Perhaps not as helpful as I would like but maybe the other DXB chaps will chime in.

Either way, your total remuneration doesn't seem unreasonable... I say give it a go, you could definitely do worse and the experience on all levels is hard to a put a price on, i.e. opening one's horizons!

Best of luck, cheers,

V.

will_968

Original Poster:

2,138 posts

265 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Thanks again Vanya.

Perhaps more importantly, will I be able to afford a 996 TT? What kind of money are they out there? I've not managed to find many for sale. Are they a good run around?

Vanya

2,058 posts

245 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Are perchance referring to a vehicle similar to the one in my profile?

scratchchin

will_968

Original Poster:

2,138 posts

265 months

Tuesday 19th August 2008
quotequote all
Vanya said:
Are perchance referring to a vehicle similar to the one in my profile?

scratchchin
Yep - exactly right.

Vanya

2,058 posts

245 months

Wednesday 20th August 2008
quotequote all
Short answer... yes
At least I would think so

It was indeed a total blast owning that car, but with a sensible head on I should have stayed with the Cayenne S (MY 2004).
I know it's a much maligned car in the UK, ballkox to that I say at least you're not one of the Prado unimaginative crowd.
The one I had was a bit of a gem as it goes.
If not the Cayenne, with the benefit of experience, I would seriously look at 2002 + Rangies and maybe even the Rangie Sport (they've actually grown on me of late).

Best of luck which ever way you decide.

Cheers,

V.


mgp1969

3,503 posts

238 months

Wednesday 10th September 2008
quotequote all
not sure about your line of work but the law firms pay UK gross and no extra benfits (housing, etc) which seems to be the way the market is going

previously the deal was net plus uplift, houisng allowance, car allowance, club allowance and at least one flight home a year but with the popularity of Dubai and the downturn in London not many companies seem to offer that anymore, althouhg there are some exceptions - some of my clients are still on very good packages, particularly the way housing costs have gone