Would you be willing to sacrifice your living arrangements in order to send your children to a better school?

This is a dilemma for many expatriate parents living in the UAE, where house rents and schooling fees take up a huge chunk of a household's yearly income.

But for expatriate parents already living here - or those looking to migrate here - the choice of 185 schools dotted across the city also makes decision making when it comes settling down, a tough task.

For many families, the choice of where to live is often determined by rent affordability. But quality schooling has now become a huge factor in the process, as the education sector has gained strength here.

With school tuition fees a point of contention for many, identifying nearby, quality schooling options in affordable, desirable areas, often calls for sacrifices to be made.

Infographic: School fees vs rents in Dubai, a comparison

Source: Additional stats or reference can we found on the respective pages for Dubai school fees and areas.

But together with Bayut.com, Farid Gasim, Founder of Edarabia.com, shared some findings from a new study, looking at the correlation of school fees versus rental locations.

"The findings highlight some of Dubai's top areas, helping expats identify affordable schools and housing near them," he told Khaleej Times.

He said a family's search for affordable housing and schooling is a "never ending pursuit", especially for new immigrants looking to settle in.

"Every newcomer wants to identify the best areas in town that cater for their needs and are convenient in proximity."
School fees in top areas

The findings reveal that Jumeirah Village Triangle, Nad Al Sheba, and Arabian Ranches - which host a total of 11 schools - are the top three areas where tuition fees are most expensive.

With Al Karama, Deira, and Al Qusais offering the lowest fees in terms of school tuition, with a total of 63 schools across all three neighbourhoods. Coming out in middle was Motor City, Umm Suqeim and Discovery gardens, which host eight schools in total.
How house rents fair?

When it comes to the average yearly rental data for one to four bedroom properties, Bayut.com's listings database for Q1 of 2017 covered 17 areas, spanning a wide range of popular Dubai residential neighbourhoods.

The lowest apartment rents were found in the new, suburban neighbourhoods of Dubai: including JVC, as well as Sports City, Dubai Investment Park and Green Community.

JVC also proved to be home to some of the most affordable villas, after Mirdif and Al Rashidiya.  

Conversely, the most expensive apartments and villas can be found in the older, more central neighbourhoods - particularly, Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim, where schooling fees were deemed middle of the road, and Nad al Sheba and Al Sufouh, where schooling fees ranked among the highest.

kelly@khaleejtimes.com
Parents speak

Adnan Masood, Pakistan

Father-of-two

"High tuition fees are becoming more of a global problem. Luckily, we bought our house in 2009 when prices were more affordable here. That meant we could invest in a good school for our children. But if I were in a different position, I would strike a balance between a good home and a good school. By putting your children in a great school but sacrificing a comfortable home life is counter productive. But personally, I would prefer to live in small house in good neighbourhood than a big house in a not-so-good area."  

Jeff Price, UK

Father-of-two

"I was made redundant recently and my wife and I have been looking for houses. We viewed one right opposite a school. My sister is part of the education system back in the UK and she said to go with what's convenient and near to you. We would prefer that so my son doesn't have to go through the laborious daily bus. It's more for his benefit than ours. My daughter also went to a nearby school here so this preference comes from experience. However, it is important to look for a house that suits your needs. But sadly, a lot of families are left with no choice but to juggle and struggle when it comes to costs."
 Schools are improving

The Knowledge and Human Development Authority's (KHDA) much awaited annual school inspection results were released last month, with several positive indicators. The recent report showed that 64 per cent of students in Dubai now attend better schools, compared to 30 per cent of students in 2008 to 2009. With ten schools this round showing an improvement in performance.

Source: Khaleej Times