Contributed by Anshuman Kukreti, 22 June, 2015
In the deep dying lands of a country as exotic as the UAE, lies its capital and a destination gaining immense popularity across the globe- Abu Dhabi. It goes without saying that this emirate has everything you ever dreamt of, to lead a comfortable professional life. Home to gigantic corporations like the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Abu Dhabi is witnessing huge numbers flocking from around the world in search of a lavish life.
Seldom it happens that you get a chance to work in a global destination as big as the one under discussion, but you dont stop thinking right there, right?
Although there are career avenues of all sorts available at your disposal, but the expenses you need to bear are important to consider as well. Hence, the section to follow will throw some light over the same and help you gain a better insight.
Accommodation- How much would it cost you?
It might seem outrageous at first, but accommodation in Abu Dhabi is generally a bit expensive as compared to rest of the UAE. Not to put things down, but your house rent might account for a major chunk out of the monthly salary. But then, you might also want to consider things like on-island and off-island accommodation, coupled with furnished and un-furnished housing that make the cost bounce off and on your budget.
Being an expat employee, there are high chances that a certain amount in the form of housing or shipping allowance is included in your pay-package. Good thing is that youll easily be able to avail various utilities and other household products, generally subsidized by the government to fall within an expats reach.
How Much Would Your Health insurance Cost You?
This is one such field where you can expect to attain some peace of mind, as its got to be covered by your employer (or potential employer rather). Being a major pre-requisite to procuring your residence visa in the emirate, your hiring manager will be paying all finances pertaining to health insurance. Itll depend on your company, according to which youll be granted either a local or an international type of insurance.
Your Childrens Education
Having immense responsibilities on your shoulder, its imperative to think about the costs associated with your family as well. Although, you might come across private schools having soaring tuition fees, with the average number all around the country being Dh 22,042. But, the government in the emirate has come up with efficient public schooling and education plans to assist the expats in this regard. Being the cost-assignee, you should definitely try and negotiate to get an allowance pertaining to the same in your annual pay-package.
The Food and Clothing in Abu Dhabi
The continual descent in oil prices has majorly given a downward push to the prices of food products, clothing, footwear and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the country. To your happiness, this will come as a relief to all expats, with a further dip in prices expected around the quarters to come in the year.
However, local food stuff will always be more reasonable in prices as compared to imported goods, these include organic foods too. So, dont ever hesitate to try out their Emirati equivalents, in case youre wondering!
Abu Dhabi is a great place to work, provided that youve learned and inculcated the art of money management. Its just a few basic you need to stick to, rest is self-assured!
Author Bio: Anshuman Kukreti is a professional writer and a keen follower of the global job market. An engineer by qualification and an artist at heart, he writes on various topics related to employment across the Gulf. Reach him @ LinkedIn, Twitter and Google+.