ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

we have received a job offer from riyadh and the lum sum pack is 52000sar/month inclusive of everything ,we have no idea abt the expence cost there and would like to know if this pack sounds good for a family of 4 with a 7 yr old and a 1 yr old.
how much does a unfurnished apt or villa in a nice and secure compound will cost? i have the idea of schooling as i got the fees from the internet for the american and british school.
Also what is the voltage in saudi i was told that its 120 as american?
how much roughly a nissan armada will cost in KSA?
and what aprox is the living cost in riyadh ? i would very much appreciate if you guys can hep and provide ur feed back abt the offer. we have been to dubai but havent been to riyadh to work , this is our first time there and we want to be very clear abt the offer if its worth going there as i know the life style is completely different than dubai,,,specially for ladies......

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Hi Jia,

Well done on getting the job offer. Riyadh is a good place to work but as you yourself have said it's more a question of lifestyle etc that troubles people.

That salary is OK but nothing special (what line of work are you in - send me a PM if you like?). Sorry if that sounds a bit blunt but you say it includes 'everything' - if that is meant to cover air fares, school fees, etc then it's going to be a bit tight.

The usual arrangement in many industries is to negotiate the basic salary then add another 5 months on top. Example: Basic = SAR 30,000 per month (360,000 per year), then add 5 x monthly basics = SAR 150,000. Total = SAR 510,000. Divide that by 12 and you get your monthly gross = SAR 42,500.

However that does NOT normally include arrival air fares, etc, so you should check that. Many employers will pay for a 20ft container for your personal belongings to be shipped over too - you can prob still ask for all of this.

And by the way - many compounds are full, and the better schools (of which there aren't many) tend to be full, but it's the summer so a number of families will have moved on - worth checking.

MOST IMPORTANT - don't assume you can just turn up, stay in a hotel for a week or so, and by then you will have found a permanent place to live - you won't. It's tougher than that, and your employer should be willing to help you.

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Thanks Dean for the quick reply,i really like this forum as we get the info that we dont know, my husband is in IT so i shoud not expect a huge salary like in the oil field but at the same tim we have to see if its good enough for us.
actually he was offered 2 pack one had the house allowance of 75k and 20k for each child for education plus the annual tickets and monthly salary was 32000sar/month, the other option was us $14000/month as lum sum so we opt for the second option as my little one is only 1 yr old now and we dont kow if we will be living in riyadh for more than 2 or 3 yrs,
the company will be helping us find a place also my husband will go there first and i'll join him in 3 to 4 months so he can find the place plus sort the admission for his school.
could u tell me how much a aprt or 3 bed vills will cost,also if we wnat to keep a driver how much is that going to cost us,

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

forgot to mention they are paying for the joining tickets plus medical but we are only allowed 40kg extra per person on top of our regular allowance.i am thinking of bring my family room sofa our exercise equipment plus the small appliance like the litchenaid mixer if they have the US voltage system>also can our TV with NTSC work there , would appreciate all ur help
Thanks

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Hi,

My advice is not to bring any furniture or appliances, although standard is 110 volt, most houses have also 220.

I work in shipping and logistics, and that means all your goods will come via Jeddah or Dammam. Import customs is a nightmare as they suspect anyone for drugs and alcohol. And looking at the wearther conditions, not adviceable, plus in the month of Ramadan everything goes to a slow mode.

Everthing here is cheap (except schooling and housing), from cars to phones.

I work in this countrry for eight years, came with one suitcase on bought the most beautiful furniture for peanuts.

Exporting goods is easy, just look for the big names. Depending on your sponsor, airfreight can be easy and quick.


If you need help, just send me a pm

All the best

Ron

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Hi..I am agree with the last replay, I am egyptian living in Riyadh for 5 years you will find everything here.

compound pricing ranging from 50k SR to over 100k SR per year, be careful that housing here not paid per month in most cases you pay in advance 6 months So, you have to arrange with your employer to have housing every 6 months.

Nissan Armada new I think start from 140k or 150k but used is more cheaper.

If you are looking for any other information or help just send to me.

good luck

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Hi and welcome to the Board. I'm also in Riyadh, but about to move to Jeddah. As others have already said, I think you will be better off buying the things you need here, rather than shipping them across.

Can't really comment on the salary package. I get paid in £'s, into my UK account, then my employer pays for everything else -housing, flights, education , so I don't know the real cost of housing in KSA.

I have heard exactly what The Dean describes, the better compounds are full and with waiting lists.

Our compound runs on 220v, but in most offices and houses, there is a mix of 110 and 220v.

There is a huge used car market in Riyadh, have a look here to get a rough idea of prices.

http://www.expatriates.com/classifieds/riy/vehicles/

Have a look round at the main dealerships, as buying new is also much cheaper than elsewhere.

Re: ADVICE AND INFO REQUIRED
 

Thank you all for the help, i guess that we will not ship our stuff and leave it behind,
The other question i had in mind is that except for the amrrican and british school in riyadh are there any other good schools with either of the 2 curriculam ,b/c if there is only one of each than i can imagine the waiting list.

the reason why i was asking for the package is that we had no idea abt the packages in the IT industry aswell as over all in KSA. it would really help if you can give us an idea as the package is on the low side or in the middle .do u think we should negotiate on the package or does this sound good enough.?
Also what compounds and schools would you guys recommend if you can give me some names i can seach and contact them .