compound living and school?
 

hello, i am new to the site. Very interesting and informative site.

My husband will be moving to riyadh His salary will be $85000 which will be approx 26.5 SAR per month.

In the package housing is approx 75000 SAR per year allowance. childrens education medical insurance. annual flight ticket back home to UK and bonus end of year and during ramadan.

Is this a good package?

I have read many horror stories about housing. is 75 000 SAR per year enough to live in a decent compund like arabian homes or garden city?

Re: compound living and school?
 

Hi
Compounds have long waiting lists so if possible get employer to arrange.
Cost for a 2 bed on Arabian Homes is SAR115k, 3 bed SAR125k upwards.
Other compounds price from SR75k upwards for 2 bed but once again, long waiting list.
Package depends on your husbands industry, role, qualifications and experience.
Good luck

Re: compound living and school?
 

Schooling options here are very limited - if they are currently at a good school I would think hard about this. In fact, if their school is good I would say don't come, or go to Dubai where there are options schoolwise. Sorry, having a bad school day.

3 bed in Kingdom is 180K a year.

N

Re: compound living and school?
 

well, It is an investment bank. IT sector and over 8 years experience.

If there is a long wait to get into a decent compound what does one do? do they hang about in hotel till then?

Is 26.5 SARs enough to live off and save if education, housing and medical is paid for?

thanks for your help.

Re: compound living and school?
 

what is green city, fal compund al yamama compund like?

what is al manarat international school like?

Re: compound living and school?
 

Fal Compound is a bit of a arty compound, lots of lebanese, friendly with lots going on Lebanese oriented entertainment - singers, etc. but good fun and has a pre-school/nursery; Al Ayamama is further out nearer to the American school, green, single story villas, older, but there is a new phase 3 not seen it tho, nice compound cos it's green, also has a small nursery, not heard of the other one. Others to consider are Eid, Cordoba, Arabian Homes, Najd, Nassariah.

Not heard of the school - probably local. The main schools expats go to are British (close to Fal), American, Multinational, French and Swedish. The British is the oly one that follows the british curriculum, offers gcses and a levels, american does ib, multinat follows the australian system and has a large special needs facility apparently.

Hope this helps
N

Re: compound living
 

Thank you Nic1 you ar ever so kind.

Do you know which is the most realistic compound we can get into with 80000 SAR annual allowance? would ideally like a 3 bed house.

such a big step which makes it quite exciting.

Can I ask you whether it would be better and worth it (as I have been doing some research) to rent property outside a compound.

There was a 4 bed corner villa going for 85000 SR. sounds like a great deal. however, you then don't have the facilities such as freedom, swimming pool, minimart, clinic etc.

what do you think?

I have been to jeddah, mecca and medina. Is riyadh similar to these places in terms of strictness for women?

thanks:thumbsup:

Re: compound living
 

We live in Jeddah at the moment, and compared to Riyadh, Jeddah is lot more relaxed and laid back, but of course still abiding by the strict laws of the country. I would imagine Mecca and Medina will be quite strict too considering they are the two Holy Cities.

How long ago were you in Jeddah? Its also a lot more cosmopolitan, far greater number of foreign workers ( and also an allegedley high unemployment rate ! ) than in Riyadh.

Although, it really is down to you what you make of it ( as if you ddin't already know :) )

Good luck.

Re: compound living and school?
 

No probs. Living off compound is challenging I think altho I do know people who do it. However, with children it is very restrictive and you don't get the benefits of school buses, shopping buses, pool, gym, meeting people etc. However, I see you have been to mecca so probably Muslim ? If you are an Arabic speaker living off compound will be much easier as all your neighbours will most likely be arabic speaking. Your wife will have to cover up when she steps out of the villa gates etc. At least on a compound you can go for a walk in 'normal' clothes.

Have you tried Al Waha Garden Villas ? Thy are cheaper than other compounds. Single storey villas with small gardens - the corner ones are good as you get a bigger garden.

N