Jamal Robinson, who retired at the age of 40, moved to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and has a cash reserve of nearly $4million (approximately £3m)
A young retiree who treats himself to a staggering £138,000 annually has revealed his spending habits while living in a “premium” area of Dubai situated “right off the beach”. Jamal Robinson, who decided as a teenager that he wanted to retire early, started his career as a church caretaker and then worked at Taco Bell for minimum wage.
However, he eventually secured roles at tech giants Microsoft, IBM, and Amazon.
At the time of the interview, Jamal, who was 40, had achieved his dream of retiring in 2024. He now lives as a US expat in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and has managed to amass a cash reserve worth nearly $4million (around £3m).
As a former executive director of generative AI at Microsoft, Jamal accumulated millions in savings and investments and allows himself an impressive sum of about £11,500 each month.
Speaking to CNBC Make It, Jamal said: “What I love most about Dubai is it really caters to people that have been retired and are looking for a lot of services and activities.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
He added: “I found that, most often, the things that were promised to me in America actually existed here. So, the levels of safety, the levels of like integration of people into society where everyone’s accepted.”
Jamal revealed that he gives himself approximately $15,400 per month (roughly £11,500), but he typically spends around $9,000 (£6,700), usually budgeting around $2,000 for food (£1,500).
A breakdown of Jamal’s spending for December 2024, which he confessed was an “unusual” month, revealed his expenses included £3,300 for rent, £2,100 for health and wellness, and a discretionary fund of £1,160.
He argued that living in Dubai is “actually much cheaper” for him than many major US cities where he has lived. According to Jamal, the UAE city allows individuals to live the “kind of lifestyle” they want and caters to “a lot” of price points.
Dubai, a city synonymous with luxury, is also a popular holiday destination and a global hub for leisure and business. Home to over 200 nationalities, it boasts the world’s tallest building, the 828-metre Burj Khalifa.
Moreover, curious visitors can indulge in the city’s opulent shopping centres and traditional souks, and, as further evidence of its wealth, you might even spot the police driving supercars.
The Telegraph reports that living in Dubai is expensive, and expats will need to cover their own medical insurance. However, there’s no income tax imposed on individuals, meaning you keep more of your earnings.
It reports that, as of June 2024 (according to figures by CBRE), average yearly rents for flats and villas were AED 56,000 (about £11,265) and AED 166,000 (£33,393).
It also stated that the average salary of someone living in Dubai was £54,647.
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