Money versus quality of life
#1
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 754
Money versus quality of life
Just having a scout around at the moment regarding a new role, I have a few offers from within my own company and from outside.
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
Edit to say I am in construction/engineering, might be relevant also. Oh and I have been in all the above except PNG and New Delhi so I have no real experience of either.
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
Edit to say I am in construction/engineering, might be relevant also. Oh and I have been in all the above except PNG and New Delhi so I have no real experience of either.
Last edited by weasel central; May 16th 2011 at 10:37 am. Reason: further thoughts
#2
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Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Abu Dhabi
Posts: 1,805
Re: Money versus quality of life
Just having a scout around at the moment regarding a new role, I have a few offers from within my own company and from outside.
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
India/Saudi: 3
Brazil - 1.5
France - 8
#3
Re: Money versus quality of life
Just having a scout around at the moment regarding a new role, I have a few offers from within my own company and from outside.
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
#4
Re: Money versus quality of life
Just having a scout around at the moment regarding a new role, I have a few offers from within my own company and from outside.
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
I will probably decide on what to do in the next couple of months but I am curious on how much money does it take to convince people to take a role in a horrible location.
Taking my home net salary as being the base I am thinking along the lines of (based on the roles offered):
Abu Dhabi/Dubai Equal to 1.5 times
Saudi at least 2 to 2.5
St Vincents Equal
Papua New Guinea (don't ask) 2 to 3 times depending on remoteness
Doha 2 times
New Delhi 1.5 times
Cairo 1.5 times
And how long can you stick it out for? I stuck Saudi for close to one year but I seriously doubt I could again unless the money was exceptional.
Thoughts?
Interesting choice though , India could well be an eye opener
#6
Re: Money versus quality of life
Abu Dhabi/Dubai/Bahrain/Doha : 1.5 times + tax savings
(would need exit stamp for Doha though)
Saudi 2.5 + tax savings
Ireland 6x
Papua New Guinea - wouldn't do it
New Delhi - can't say, never been
Cairo : 2 times + car & driver
Hong Kong : 2.5 times (I would love to do this for less but housing is just an issue)
(would need exit stamp for Doha though)
Saudi 2.5 + tax savings
Ireland 6x
Papua New Guinea - wouldn't do it
New Delhi - can't say, never been
Cairo : 2 times + car & driver
Hong Kong : 2.5 times (I would love to do this for less but housing is just an issue)
#8
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 754
Re: Money versus quality of life
Worked in A.D , Dubai and Doha , all are easy . A small contract in K.S.A which i hated and was in Port Moresby to de mobilise some equipment a long time ago and without a doubt that place could be in another Solar System.
Interesting choice though , India could well be an eye opener
Interesting choice though , India could well be an eye opener
The PNG one is so remote they have spent ages just building the airstrip to even get stuff in. I doubt I could do it
#11
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Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
#12
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: Money versus quality of life
I wouldn't base it on net salary, I would base it on net disposable/saveable salary. I'm not being picky, but what really matters is how much extra you have to spend and save.
Last time I worked in the UK I was on a fairly decent salary, but I saved bugger all (and most times bonuses went just to fill holes). We lived fairly well, with probably a discretionary amount to spend on non-essentials of a couple of hundred pounds a month (after mortgage, cars, holidays, pension, food, clothes and so-on). By coming out here I've changed that couple of hundred into a couple of thousand, although my salary is only slightly more.
So, for me, its how much more disposable/saveable income would I need (figures in GBPk pcm):
UAE: 2k
Saudi: 4k
Bahrain / Saudi: 3k (although it might go off the scale soon)
Oman: 2k
Kuwait / Qatar: not sure, probably 3k
Japan: 2k
China: 1k (I think I feel a fever coming on)
Last time I worked in the UK I was on a fairly decent salary, but I saved bugger all (and most times bonuses went just to fill holes). We lived fairly well, with probably a discretionary amount to spend on non-essentials of a couple of hundred pounds a month (after mortgage, cars, holidays, pension, food, clothes and so-on). By coming out here I've changed that couple of hundred into a couple of thousand, although my salary is only slightly more.
So, for me, its how much more disposable/saveable income would I need (figures in GBPk pcm):
UAE: 2k
Saudi: 4k
Bahrain / Saudi: 3k (although it might go off the scale soon)
Oman: 2k
Kuwait / Qatar: not sure, probably 3k
Japan: 2k
China: 1k (I think I feel a fever coming on)
#13
Re: Money versus quality of life
Abu Dhabi/Dubai/Bahrain/Doha : 1.5 times + tax savings
(would need exit stamp for Doha though)
Saudi 2.5 + tax savings
Ireland 6x
Papua New Guinea - wouldn't do it
New Delhi - can't say, never been
Cairo : 2 times + car & driver
Hong Kong : 2.5 times (I would love to do this for less but housing is just an issue)
(would need exit stamp for Doha though)
Saudi 2.5 + tax savings
Ireland 6x
Papua New Guinea - wouldn't do it
New Delhi - can't say, never been
Cairo : 2 times + car & driver
Hong Kong : 2.5 times (I would love to do this for less but housing is just an issue)
Places like Southern Highlands and Western Province not so. You need to be on FIFO (usually back to Oz), and even then it depends on your level of expected comfort, and how far you will acclimatise.
You want good money for that. Bloody good money. Safely is a real issue, and it’s a shithole. Some guys get off on the local girls though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rustii/3289340951/
(Miss PNG 2009)
Last edited by slapphead_otool; May 16th 2011 at 11:13 am.
#14
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 754
Re: Money versus quality of life
I see what you mean, I was coming from the perspective that usually I have no expenses in terms of housing or transport in my expat location. So the multiple of the salary is just the premium to work in that location to cover the expected horror.
Especially in KSA
Especially in KSA
Last edited by weasel central; May 16th 2011 at 11:16 am.
#15
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 754
Re: Money versus quality of life
PNG depends where you are. It’s quite diverse. Port Moresby and Lei can be ok, you can live there, although accommodation is expensive and crime is high.
Places like Southern Highlands and Western Province not so. You need to be on FIFO (usually back to Oz), and even then it depends on your level of expected comfort, and how far you will acclimatise.
You want good money for that. Bloody good money. Safely is a real issue, and it’s a shithole. Some guys get off on the local girls though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rustii/3289340951/
(Miss PNG 2009)
Places like Southern Highlands and Western Province not so. You need to be on FIFO (usually back to Oz), and even then it depends on your level of expected comfort, and how far you will acclimatise.
You want good money for that. Bloody good money. Safely is a real issue, and it’s a shithole. Some guys get off on the local girls though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rustii/3289340951/
(Miss PNG 2009)