1. Who has carried out the research for the cost of living report?
From 2004 - 2009 Kershaw Leonard has employed a research company called MMC who have a broad ranch of HR related expertise. Please see the Partners Information Tab for more details. Over the past 2 years, the report data has been acquired in-house, by Kershaw Leonards consultants, based in Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar.
2. How was the research conducted?
We have not relied on randomly selected opinions but have instead accurately researched the data for ourselves. For example, the MMC research team visited a cross section of supermarkets to establish the exact prices of the items featured. Villa and apartment costs for both rental and purchase have been established by talking to the real estate companies as well as checking with landlords and renters to ensure the details we feature are actual not estimated figures.
3. What currency is the report in?
The report gives figures in the UAE Dirham (AED). The UAE currency is the United Arab Emirates Dirham, divided into 100 Fils, and is pegged to the US$ at the rate of US$1 = AED 3.67.
4. Which geographic areas does it cover?
There are 4 reports which can be purchased. 3 of them from the past 3 consecutive years covering the UAE and the Emirates with the UAE. Most recently, we're introducing the very first Cost of Living Qatar Report, covering Qatar. Both reports make references to avergae prices throughout the GCC and other global countries & cities.
5. How current is the data?
The research for the 2011/ 2021 report commenced in April 2011 and will be finalised in September 2011. One of the advantages of the report being on line again this year is that we have been easily able to update any major changes right up to the “go live” date as we have not had to commit to printing and the deadlines that involves. Furthermore, we have left some of the more volatile areas to be researched until the very last minute so that we can include the latest data during September. With ever-fluctuating prices across all sectors, particularly accommodation, it's important to have the most up-to-date data as possible.
6. What is the cost of the report?
The cost of the 2011-2012 UAE & Qatar reports is AED 4,000, respectively. If purchased before September 15th 2011, each of these reports can be purchased for the discounted price of AED 3,500. After September 15th 2011, the price will revert to the full price of AED 4,000. If both the Cost of Living UAE and Cost of Living Qatar Reports are both purchased, a discount of AED 1,000 will be provided, totaling to AED 7,000 for both reports. Moreover, a discount of AED 500 is applied when purchasing any of the previous years' reports along with this year's report.
7. How do I pay for the report?
You can pay online by credit card, by cheque, bank transfer or cash. We use the the payment facility provided by Network International's (Emirates NBD Bank PJSC) secure payment gateway. We accept all Visa & MasterCard credit cards only. The registration section of the website will assist you with payment. Note, the Cost of Living Report UAE 2011 - 2012 and the Cost of Living Report Qatar 2011 - 2012 will not be online until the 1st week of October 2011. If you decide to purchase now, to take advantage of the discount provided by ordering before September 15th 2011, we will email your access details once the report is live in the 1st week of October 2011.
8. Why do I need to pay for the report before I have access to it?
The nature of the online report makes it necessary for us to control access to only the clients who have paid the fees. If you would like to have a preview of the type of content that will be featured in the 2011 - 2012 report please visit 'The Report' section of this website where you will find screenshots of data taken from the past 2 year's reports.
9. How does Kershaw Leonard’s report compare to other cost of living reports?
Kershaw Leonard has been publishing the Cost Of Living report since 2004 which gives us a unique database of facts and figures as well as interesting commentary upon which to base each successive edition. The data is collected freshly every year and is individually researched rather than being based on opinions and estimates.
The employment section is based upon Kershaw Leonard’s own experience as a recruitment consultancy that has been at the forefront of recruitment in the UAE since September 1999. During this time we have gained an intuitive understanding of the employment market of the region that cannot be bought as it can only be learned through living and breathing the market every day.
We add life and vibrancy to the data through the narrative which has been colourfully written by Mark Atkinson, who is a freelance writer with many years experience in the region. We believe this helps our clients make more sense of the conclusion to be drawn from the report as well as making it a good read.
No other report offers the added reality of the Case Studies. We have been following the fortunes of 3 imaginary but typical family units since 2005, applying the costs and incomes from each report to see in startlingly real terms the actual impact of rising costs on everyday people.
10. I can download other cost of living reports for free – why is it not free?
A quick look at the graphs tables and text will show you the quality and detail of the Kershaw Leonard Cost Of Living in the UAE report. The 2008/2009 printed version for example spanned some 60 pages of tightly crammed information that at AED 4,000 is an absolute bargain. Last year's Cost of Living Report UAE 2010 - 2011 had increased to over 100 pages of detailed information with descriptive commentary, anslysising the UAE's past and making predictions on its future. Compare our report not to the lightweight free versions on offer but to the vastly more expensive, well known corporate reports and you will see what exceptional value the Kershaw Leonard report is.
11. How do I access the report?
The report is available online. Part of the purchasing process is the allocation of a user ID and password. This will give you full access to the report. If you already have purchased a report from one of the previous years, your login credentials will allow you to access any reports which you have purchased. If you have purchased several reports, you'll simply be able to toggle between them. A single username & password will be used for everything.
12. Can I print the report?
Due to the comprehensive structure of the data online, the print functionality may not work with the report. Alternatively, if you'd like to purchase a hardcopy print version of the report, this will cost an additional AED 1,000. However, one of the major advantages of moving to online publication is environmental via the saving of printing and paper. Since we have transitioned from printed to on-line media we have made a small number of printed versions available for an addition cost of AED 1,000. If you would like to order a copy please e-mail costoflivinguae@kershawleonard.net
13. Can I download the report?
Similarly to the question about printing, the main aim is for our clients to read and utilise the report on line, which of course can happen anywhere in the world using the allocated password and user ID. We have however added limited download capability for those “must have” sections, which we hope you will find useful. If you have any more questions that are not covered here, please do feel free to address them to costoflivinguae@kershawleonard.net from where a Kershaw Leonard team member will do their best to assist you.
14 Why are there 3 Cost of Living UAE Reports and only 1 Cost of Living Qatar Report?
The Cost of Living UAE Report has been going since 2004. Intially, it analysed the cost of living in Dubai, primarily, and over the years has evolved and expanded into providing a comprehensive haulisitc view of the cost of living throughout the entire UAE, with references to the cost of living in other GCC and Global cities and countries. from 2004 - 2009, the report was provided in hard copy only. Since 2009, the report is provided online, and can be provided in hard copy upon request, for an additonal AED 500. So the Cost of Living UAE report data, in some instances spans back from the 8 years in which it's been running, proividing a vary in depth look into the changes in prices over the best part of the last decade.
Due to the popularity of the Cost of Living UAE Report, Kershaw Leonard have decided to produce the first Cost of Living Qatar Report, to be released in the first week of October 2011. The report will follow the same structure as the UAE report, analysing the cost of living, working & operating a business within Qatar.