Worth a read:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/afp/article-4255906/Good-times-expats-Saudi.html

Factor in pension provision. Most jobs in the region seem to ignore that area of remuneration. And look at paying your Ni on a voluntary basis when you go (if you go)

Also factor in some risks and hidden costs, that you would be exposed to:

Exchange rate
SAR de-peg from USD
Regional instability
Job insecurity
UK residency status (until you pass the Automatic Overseas Test, April 2019)
Family health issue
Mobilisation and Demobilisation
Non-earning periods between jobs
One, or both of you, or the kids not liking the expat life in KSA

If I were in your circumstances, I'd be looking for a package of at least SAR 60k per month with school fees covered by the employer. I'd also mobilise myself first to settle at work, sort out accommodation and aim to bring the kids out at the start of the next school year.

Though I am still waiting for an offer, it looks like the total package should be between £175-200K ( including housing, school etc). Not sure if it's too steep, but it looks like it's not worth it if it's any less than that. Over pricing myself, may be, but then why not.

If you mean not as good as a state school like King Edwards Birmingham you might have a case. But it is a very good school and certainly far better than the vast majority of state schools in UK

Many thanks to all of you for so much information you have provided, frankly speaking this will be my first move abroad so I am quite a novice. I am still waiting for the final figures. Just wondering if you could give me some genuine tips on salary negotiations too :-)

I live in Riyadh with my husband and a 1 year old. He has all in salary of 45k a month plus I earn around 14k a month. We do get help towards housing allowance (included in the 45k) plus medical insurance, company car, flight allowance for all 3 of us and all visas taken care of (including multiple entry exits.) we don’t pay for schooling right now. We rent a 3 bed villa in a very well known compound for 200k a year. His salary here is 3 times what he would earn after tax in the UK. We save a ton of money and we have a very good social life. We drink most weekends (not just home brew) and do a lot of things on our compound with neighbours. It can be a very cheap life here and saving money is very easy. Even if you get an all in salary it might work out better than getting an allowance. Just make sure you get help finding a decent compound. There aren’t the huge waiting lists for bigger houses that there used to be as there were a lot (at least from our compound) who left to go home. We were thinking of leaving next summer but there has been an explosion of work in my husband's industry so we will try and stay another year or so. Great life out here if you get used to all the small quirks.

Thanks Ek, so basically at least 60K as previously mentioned by Johnnyboy would do me good.

Johnnyboy
60k including all the allowances or without them? regards

Have you not yet decided then?

Dependable on how you see it. The project keeps getting delayed.