Living in Dubai...

Have you checked the other topics in this same forum? You'll find a lot of responses to your questions

I have checked the other questions on the subject and they been informative... I have a question though? What is an acceptable salary for a family of 4 in the local currency of dirhams? I just need an estimate to the expenses mentioned below and possibly expenses that I may have excluded...

What is the conversion rate between Dollar's and Dirham's?

What costs am I looking at for general expenses?
Rent
Food
Car
Electricity
Water
Entertainment (Moderate)
Fuel
Schooling
Telephone

Blah, it depends where you're from and what your current standard of living is. For example, sub-continent labourers get as little as US$250 a month, yet live (or exist) on it and send money back home to keep their families.
Rent and school fees are the big expense.
For example, the last published figures for rent, at the end of last year, were:
Apartments:
1 bedroom Dh48,000/Dh95,000
2 bedroom Dh60,000/Dh130,000
3 bedroom Dh78,000/Dh200,000
Villas Dh150,000 upwards.

School fees according to Gulf News:
Indian curriculum Dh2,750-Dh9,000 pa
British Dh28,000-Dh42,000
Australian Dh22,000-28,000
American about Dh47,000
Books, bus, uniform etc are extra.

For electricity/water for a two bedroom apartment budget an average of Dh500/month. For internet Dh149 - Dh349/month. Pay TV Dh150 upwards.
A reasonable small car would be from, say, AED50,000 new. Fuel is about 37 US cents a litre. Food & entertainment are cheap, unles you eat and play in the 5-star hotels.

If you need to repatriate any of the funds, we'd be happy to assist. I work for a currency specialist and we provide our clients with better exchange rates than the banks and the ability to get you locked into a favourable exchange rate for up to two years. If you are regulary sending funds we can automate the process for you at a fixed exchange rate so you know exactly what you will be sending/receiving each month.

If interested, let me know, would be happy to discuss.

Cheers!

David Paul Lazenski
Account Manager
Private Client Services
HiFX
250 Montgomery Street, Suite 910,
San Francisco, CA  94104
Direct: (415) 678-2770

We are a family with two daughters and a dog hopefully re-locating to either dubai or muscat in th new year, any advise which could be given with regard to living and education expenses would be very much appreciated.