We lived in Dubai for 3 years, If you’re thinking of a long term plans and you’ve got family, then I would say Australia is way better than Dubai. Here are some reasons:
Permanent residency:
In dubai, we can have a resident visa only if may employer na mag sponsor sayo.. but once nawalan ka ng work, out ka na rin sa dubai unless na makahanap ka agad ng mag sponsor na company and the cycle goes on need mo ng employer to stay in dubai...Unlike here khit wala kang work basta permanent resident ka, you can stay indefinitely and after 4years you can apply for citizenship and enjoy the benefits of being a citizen.
Education:
We can access free quality education here esp if you have kids. And when your child goes to university, they have this “study now pay later” scheme wherein they can choose the course they want, and they will pay once they got a job thru tax deductions. Hindi parents ang nagbabayad ng tuition d2 pag nsa university na ang mga bata..
ang mahal ng tuition sa dubai, when my eldest is 4 y/o as pre-schooler there, we’re paying around 2500 dirhams per term + 600 school bus.. pano pa kaya pag nag highschool or university cia..
Salary:
Yes, in Dubai it’s tax free so you’re getting all your salary. But I don’t agree about sa sinasabi ng iba na hindi mo kikitain d2 ung kinikita mo sa Dubai, well of course qualifications and work experiences matters pa rin.. And also here in Australia your employer pays 9-12% of your annual salary to save in Superannuation Fund, it’s a saving scheme na maa-access mo lang once na nagretire ka na. so pag nag retire kayo may pera kayo aside from ung personal savings..thats why karamihan ng mga oldies d2 when they retire they can afford to travel and leisure.
Cost of living:
yes mas mura ang cost of living dyan, all the comfort in life nadyan like you can hire a nanny ng mga bata. But in terms of accommodation sa experience nmin, dyan we can only afford a studio type accommodation, unlike here na we’re living in a 3-bedroom house with big backyard..affordable fresh food and you can even grow some backyard crops na pede mo kainin..
HealthCare:
As a resident you have access to Medicare payment subsidised by the government pag nagkasakit ka..Nung nanganak c misis we didn’t pay anything for a 5-day stay sa hospital..and the midwife will visit you at home to check the bub and the mum kung ok cla.. In dubai nagrerely lang kmi sa health/medical insurance na bigay ng company, kung basic lang ung plan ng insurance cover, you can’t rely on that much.
Nature & lifestyle:
If you’re a nature lover, Australia has a natural beauty wherein you can enjoy nature at its best, sa dubai kc more on man-made / artificial development..The weather is good here with four seasons to enjoy (winter, spring, summer, fall depends kung san state ka nkatira thou)..lots of outdoor activities to enjoy and libre pa.. very relax ang lifestyle d2 though it varies pa rin kung san state ka nkatira..like for us in Canberra, laidback d2 and not stressful hindi uso ang OT..when 5pm strikes, naguunahan ng mag uwian. So you have more quality time with your family and do the household chores..hehehe!..
im not saying na life is perfect in Australia syempre may mga flaws din but generally life is good here in Australia..you can consider it “home away from home..” (justmytwocents) =)
:-*