What would it take for you to go to Emirates after MBA?

Isn't the cost of living in Dubai absolutely ridiculous though?

Real estate was a major problem (and very expensive), but with crashing prices and rising vacancies, it may be less of an issue now. Food, petrol and other expenses seem pretty consistent with the US to me (or lower).

I don't know if the salaries still outpace Europe and the USA, though. I've had some offers in consulting (non-strategy) for Dubai, and several of them were lower (even after considering the tax benefit) than my current American package.

It feels good to see that there's some nterest in India. So thought of sharing a few facts.

Salaries:

The average domestic salaries for graduates of the top Indian B-Schools ( IIM A/B/C and ISB ) are in the range of 60-70k USD p a ). That's the average across all the industry segments. A fresh undergrad from any of the top engineering schools gets around 10k-15k USD p.a ) on an average. So that should give you an idea. Also the taxes are quite high in India 30% - 40%. So commanding a salary of 120K USD straight out of any international b-school is nearly impossible. Here's a link to the IIM-A placement statistics for the graduating class of 2008.

https://www.iimahd.ernet.in/pgpx/pgpxplacement.html

Cost of living:
In Mumbai - the financial capital , I would say that a salary of 60-70K USD would be equivalent to a 200K salary in the NYC metro. Though apartment costs in the Mumbai prime neighborhoods are on par with the costs in Manhattan, the other living costs are relatively very low. Food is dirt cheap and so is public transportation and domestic alcohol. Imported alcohol can be quite expensive. I've narrowed down the focus to Mumbai just because it's the financial capital of the country and most b-school grads end up in Mumbai. I could be wrong though.

Quality and way of life:
Hmmm - Mumbai, can be a fascinating city to live in and also a daunting city. I would say and most people agree that Mumbai and NYC have a lot in common. Diversity, population density, public transit, cabs, luxury etc. However, the diversity in Mumbai can be daunting. There's ultra luxury and deep poverty side by side. The maddening crowds in the local trains will just shock people. If you think that Subway ride in NYC is crowded, think again - at least you can stand comfortably in the Subway.
Contrary to popular belief, Mumbai is a very safe city to live. Public transportation is highly dependable and safe. The city enjoys a fantastic night life. It's not uncommon for people to get back from work at 10 or 11 in the night and head out for drinks or a movie.

Climate:
There are just two seasons in Mumbai - an unpleasant summer and a pleasant summer. From March - July it's sweltering heat - 100 degree weather with 90% humidity. July - October , it cools down a little when the monsoons hit - 85 degrees with 90% humidity. October-Feb is again slightly cooler 75-80 degrees with 90% humidity.

Overall, I would say that students interested in Indian industry should check out Mumbai - during an international visit or something of that sort. I've tried to be as unbiased as I can and not make this into a 'live in Mumbai sales pitch' but there's still an element of bias in favor of Mumbai.

-pradeep