jasper78

I have been tracking various threads on the forum about offers etc... And I am deciding on the job and comp package myself and I feel I am getting mixed messages on how much it takes to live, save, avoid taxes and have some fun. I am moving from the states with my wife and 2 kids (3 and 1).
I feel awkward doing this, but what would be resonable expectations for living expenses in Riyadh, saving and paying for travel. Thanks in advance for any thoughts:

Base Comp: 433k SAR
Housing: 146K SAR
Car: 37k
Schooling: 12k/child
Bonus: 10% (will get 5%)
Flights Home: 0

Other issues are no compound (due to waiting lists)

Thoughts?

Desert Dubliner

Schooling is going to cost you three times that in a decent school for westerners. May not bother you now but in 2-3 years you will be paying 60kSAR / year to put them both through primary.

Southlondoner

Hi Jasper

I am also considering a job offer in Riyadh. I have no kids so don't know about schooling.
The base compensation of SAR 433k is excellent.
However - housing of SAR 140k will not get you much. A one bed apartment on a compound goes for SAR 80k per annum. You will need a house - figure about SAR 200k at least.

jasper78

Thanks for the help and the advice. I will see about getting a little more for housing, but if the comp is excellent, then I fear that they will say, we are paying you well, use the money for a better house. Doesn't hurt to ask.

Thanks again and good luck with your offer.

jasper78

60K Sar/ child or both? They way they explained it to me that the schooling will increase as the child gets older to compensate for the higher cost in school. Does that make sense?

Southlondoner

Jasper

Sure its a pleasure. Just to give some context, my offer is at an European bank within finance. The package on offer is:
Salary: 270k SAR
Car: 60k SAR
House: 80k SAR

I have ten years experience of finance within banks in London. Have worked in Riyadh back in 2010. My offer is defs on the light side.

Yours is great on the basic salary - but they are taking you for a ride on house and the car.

Very little to spend money on in Riyadh. You will save a lot.
One thing to bear in mind though. As an American citizen - will you beliable for US tax on your income, even if earned abroad?

jasper78

Thnaks for the context. Since you have been there, how important will it be to be on a compound? I am afraid that due to the waiting list, this will be a little impossible to obatain a compound housing. So I am preparing to live outside with hopes of making some friends within compounds to visit and at school for my kids to play with. I am not so worried about me (hell I am at work all day), but it is a huge concern to me for my family.

Desert Dubliner

Jasper, the two acceptable (to me) schools in Jeddah charge 13000 per term per kid (three terms per year) for primary school (age 4 - 10). That is 39000 per year per child. My school allowance is 24kSAR per kid and I am not happy with it. Otherwise our packages are similar, except that I have flights home for me and family once a year. Try to get that included as these can come up to 20kSAR easily for family of 4.

To answer your other question - without compound accommodation I would not dare to bring my wife and kids to Riyadh. In Riyadh it is not advisable that a woman ventures anywhere w/o male relative or husband. Your wife will essentially be imprisoned in the house while you're at work. It is a bit better in Jeddah where women can go out w/o company to shops & malls but even in Jeddah I would not consider stand-alone villa or god forbid a flat. In Jeddah flats tend to be awful during Hajj / Umraa seasons.

Desert Dubliner

And you are correct, schooling increases as they grow up. In the schools I know it's 21kSAR for nursery (2yrs) 27kSAR for early education (3yrs), 39kSAR (4-10) and then goes to 51kSAR (11-14 years). All figures are per child per year.

Desert Shaikh

Being with a family, I cannot emphasise enough the importance or the need for a place in a compound. Do not go unless you have a place in a compound.

Being alone, maybe you could survive, but just about.

jasper78

How do you suggest to get into a compound with wait lists of over a year?

Desert Dubliner

I don't know how it works in Riyadh but what I have done was to take a 2-bed apartment in the compound and now I harass the compound manager every morning. Incha'allah in a few months I will get a three bed villa. I arrived without the family for the first 8 months for various reasons (visa, probation, see if I can manage the environment, etc). First month I was in the hotel then I moved into compound. Visas I got few weeks back, etc. Nobody I have ever met has had a smooth arrival to KSA. You will not land and walk into everything. There will be issues with visas, accommodation, school, etc. I do recommend you consider arriving on your own for 6 months or so to settle into your job and routine. Then it will be easier to manage family move.

jasper78

Thanks for the advice. The potential employer said the same thing, that I would need to be here alone for a minimum of 4 months, then bring the family over. I guess I need to make a decision instead of mentally wearing myself out about it.

Thanks

Desert Dubliner

That probably means they don't have block visa for you. The way it works is that your employer must have a block visa for you. The block visa must match your nationality and education (word by word). If they don't have this, they will have to change the block visa to match your nationality and education which in my case took 6 months. The fact they are suggesting 4 months most likely means they don't have the block visa and will have to manage. If they do manage in 4 months they are very good.

While this is being managed you will be on business visit visa and will have to leave every 30 days and return. You will be paid in cash and will not be able to get compound contract unless your company is willing to take contract which my company did for me. While you are on business visit visa you can't bring family. Once you have your block visa you have to fly back to your country to get work visa. Once you get that you fly to KSA and get IQAMA. Once you get IQAMA, then you sponsor your family and get letter from dept of foreign affairs in KSA. Then your family can get residence visas and only then they can come over. You will have to get your degree translated into Arabic and attested by the dept of foreign affairs in your country. Needless to say for work visa you will have to do medical in your country and then once you arrive back to KSA you will do medical once more before IQAMA. I hope to god you have a good government relations officer in the company you are joining who will guide you through this process.

Desert Dubliner

Until you get IQAMA you will not have a bank account and won't be able to transfer money from KSA. I managed through our RMD but I've known him for 8 years. Takes a bit of trust to let someone receive your salary and transfer to you. Being from the US this may be a problem for you if you start receiving money from someone in KSA. Best for you (if you wish to transfer money home) is to get paid to an off-shore bank but not all firms in KSA are willing to do so. Even if you don't transfer money you may get 2-3 salaries in cash and that's a lot of money to keep in bills.