Rs 50 LPA In Dubai Vs Rs 33 Lakh In India: Techie Seeks Advice, Internet Weighs In

A Reddit post by a software engineer has gone viral after he asked the internet to help him choose between two job offers: one in Dubai and one in India. The man, who has six years of experience as a backend developer, currently earns Rs 23 lakh per year in India.

In a viral post made two days ago, he shared the details of both offers and asked: “Am I being lowballed?”

According to his post, the Dubai offer includes a monthly salary of AED 18,000 (over Rs 50 lakh a year before tax). It also covers health insurance for him, office commute, and AED 1,500 annual flight allowance. However, there is no housing allowance or family insurance.

The Redditor further shared that the India offer stands at Rs 33 lakh per annum. It includes a hybrid work model and full health insurance for his family and parents.

https://www.reddit.com/r/developersIndia/comments/1m4yb8r/need_advice_india_vs_dubai_offer_am_i_being/

“I'm leaning towards the Indian offer because of the better benefits and work-life balance. But I'm wondering: Is AED 18,000/month fair for someone with 6 years of experience, or am I being lowballed in Dubai terms?” the post added.

The techie also questioned if it would be “reasonable” to use the Dubai offer as “leverage” to negotiate a higher package in India.

Several users weighed in on the post as they shared personal experiences or stories from friends and family.

“If you are planning on moving to Dubai, I highly recommend you ask for accommodation otherwise this salary will vanish in no time,” a comment read.

Another comment offered advice based on lifestyle needs. “Single: go to Dubai. Family: Stay in India,” the user wrote.

Many users seemed to think that the man was being “lowballed” as Dubai is certainly very expensive.

“I work in Dubai as a software Engineer. AED 18,000 for 6 years of experience is low. You can save up to Rs 1.5 lakh a month if you are single. But your true worth in Dubai should be around AED 25,000-35,000,” a comment read.

A Reddit user also suggested comparing both the offers in purchase power parity (PPP) terms instead of simple currency conversion at the current market rates.

“Super lowballed in Dubai. Check PPP salary converter and it will tell you what is the salary in Dubai you should get to live the same life with an Indian salary. Yours is peanuts. Also keep a 20% margin in that since it's a different country,” the comment read.