Cost of living
Hey ****su and others,
The cost of living in Oz IS low compared to many places...like Muscat for Abu Dhabi for an example.
A villa in Ab Dab will set you back in the region of $1000 per week...in Muscat about $500-600 per week.
White goods are cheap, petrol may as well be free, electricity and water are not cheap. Internet is as dear as poison as are phone calls.
If you are using Skype VOIP, well it has been blocked in the UAE and will probably be blocked in Oman soon. The Omani's killed Net2phone within a month of it starting, they didn't like competition.
Food is not as cheap as in OZ either although to be fair, eating out can be very cheap. Great varieties of foods too.
I am in a pretty good position to say, I am in Ab Dab, having spent most of the last decade in Muscat.
Tin pusher and Muldrake...
Living in Muscat is horses for courses. If you are married with a young family and enjoy history and outdoor activities, Muscat is the place for you. I had a fabulous time there, fishing, diving, camping, hiking (very large mountains) and the general history of the place is amazing. The night life for singles can be a bit of an issue.
The Omani people are just about the friendliest people in the world.Get a flat tyre and they will just stop and help you change it...even in the middle of the city!
Let me know if you want specific questions answered and I'll do my best.
Work is a different issue entirely from living there!