The company wants to keep a professional image, so I wouldn’t feel comfortable providing too much detail on a forum. There is no housing or additional pay above the monthly salary. There is medical and vacation, but no travel.

I know Dubai is an expensive city, but I live in an expensive city right now, and according to cost of living calculators, it will actually be cheaper than where I am now.

Here is a monthly budget I worked up for myself based on some internet research.

Studio apartment within 30 minutes of the airport: $1,500 USD
Utilities: $200
Car expenses: $700
Groceries: $500
Entertainment: $1,000

Remember I am a regional FO, so I am used to a Spartan lifestyle. If this budget is in reason, then I should be able to save more in one year in Dubai then I ever could as a regional FO.

 

Hey bro,

First and foremost do what feels right.. If this is something you and the girl want to do, go for it. Could be a great adventure for the both of you.

Me personally, after having visited Dubai, you couldn't pay me enough. You'll never feel at home. It's on thing to work in another western country, Dubai is something completely else.

I don't know what regional you work for, but I am pretty sure that you are seeing a lot of your captains leaving for dal ual and us airways, while fo's are leaving for us airways, spirit, virgin and JetBlue.. We have not seen this much movement for years and it is only the beginning of it.

If I where you I stay put and jumpseat / nonrev to the Middle East for a long vacation to get your fix but this is me. A plane is a plane, and you will get used to the paycheck soon. QOL brother.

 

$1500 for a studio in what part of town? As an expat, there are only a few areas you want to consider living and they are not cheap (Marina, JBR, JLT, etc). $2k would be more realistic. $700 for car seems very high. Many people pick up a used car like Nissan Tiida or small SUV. Petrol is cheap. $1k for entertainment? Also seems high (ladies drink free anyway at most places) and pilots can use EPC card for discounts.

If you havent check it out already, look at the listings on Real Estate & Property for Rent in Dubai, UAE | Dubizzle Dubai

As for bring in the girlfriend - that will be difficult if she does not have a job lined up for visa purposes, and failing that, one can do a visa run to Oman every few months. Living together should be ok, just keep it low profile, although there are tons of flatmate ads every day that ignore that rule.

 

I have no experience living in Dubai, however, I had interest in potentially applying to Emirates in the future. I did my research by asking questions on APC and PPRuNe, and my mind was quickly changed. These are some of the things that were said to me.

Please take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am speaking second hand as I have no actual experience living there and all this could be complete ignorance.

I'm only going to hit on the negative feedback I got back. They did talk of a lot of positive things there, but most of those positive things tend to dwindle after being there a few years.

1. You will not be treated as a 1st class citizen.

2. They have "slaves" and you are expected to just kind of "ignore" that this is something happening.

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...i-1664368.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMh-vlQwrmU

3. The people there tend to be "fake."

4. As someone posted above, Religion is the law there.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/20/world/...e-controversy/

5. Supposedly the public restrooms are pretty nasty and disgusting. I read an article a few years back written by a Woman who moved her family there after she received work. She said it takes a lot of getting accustomed to, but the hardest for her was the hole in the ground bathroom and the hanging hose you use to clean yourself. It apparently gets pretty messy.

6. If you are a fan of preventing global warming, Dubai is not the place for you, as residents have the largest footprint in the world.

7. If you plan to buy your own home there in the future, be careful. Supposedly there is a BIG "Bubble" that could burst.

I'm not sure how true most of it is, but the Religion enforcing the law, and the "Slave" stories are pretty well documented.

Good luck and I hope this helps. Maybe some of the others with experience there can chime in and correct anything I might have said wrong.