mcmonkiez

Folks,

Well previously ask couple of questions but this is the last time I am asking lol well as time is very close now.

I will be going Riyadh end of Jan and got a job in King abdulaziz medical city.

well housing is outside the compound and hospital will provide me temp hsouing in the compound then later i need to find my own.

which is no prob.

salary is 13000 a month saudi riyal
where in uk i take home £2400 net per annum is £40K

2400 = 17000 SR and saudi offer is 13000 but inclduing housing, free education for child, medical family status.

what do you think its worth moving there plus I like UK and want to save money where in uk its bit hard for me to save money and stuff..

i dont have house i want to buy house back in the uk while i am in saudi and save some money for deposit so i can buy house in the uk..

i am really double minded and dont know which way to go

plus how is king abdulaziz medical city 'NGHA' looks okay to me but have no idea work environment there and just middle of river and thinking which way i should make the right turn lol please help.

The Dean

Hello Monkey Boy,

I remember you - the guy who was offered a SAR 21,000 per YEAR housing allowance - or a job in the US with an H1 visa (which Bob and others said were 'like gold dust'?

What happened? Turned down the US job (obviously) so now you have to look at Saudi again?

First things first - if you are being paid a SAR-denominated salary, the GBP/SAR exchange rate is only important in terms of how much you will have left over at the end of the month - which you can then send back to the UK.

Why do I mention this? Because your exchange rate calculation is way off (you've used an exchange rate that is about six months out of date).

GBP 2,400 is NOT SAR 17,000 - it's about SAR 13,250 (current rate roughly 5.5250).

Is that going to affect your calculation/decision? If so, go away and recalculate the pros and cons, and get back to us.

Good luck.............

nottmbantam

Personally, I would say its not a brilliant salary for an expat contract. My wife works here in Jeddah as a teacher and was employed on what is known as 'local hire' ( which tends to be lower than expat contracts ) and she earns 14,000sr per month.

If you have no outgoings in UK ( no rent / mortgage etc ) then you should be ok with that, and with having free housing etc, it will probably be a more comfortable lifestyle, but bear in mind that the firtst few months you will be here, you will find yourself settling in and buying things to make your home more comfortable, so you may not be able to save from day 1.

Good Luck.

still.unsure

seconded, think especially as it includes a lot of things. saudi can be cheap, but it can be pretty rough when it is.

mcmonkiez

thanks for the reply folks,

I also think is salary us not brilliant but living expenses cheap in Saudi campare to UK anyway...

How much salary should be getting a British national in IT field.

Plus now a days IT man can be found very easily from India so crap labour and that's why mybsalary is bit low ..

Also any of you guys moved in Saudi on this basic salary package?

Or just tell the employer go and find someone else as this salary is low...

My employer goes when I was talking about the package that UK economy going down and the salary we offering it's best and we will incrase after we see how you do your job..

I m 27 years old and I have few family in Riyadh but not very close but they are doctors and I guess their profession and salary must be different as it's all comes down to the profession...

In UK I don't have home I just rent at the moment ...

But I enjoy my job what I do but no savings after rent bill and other outgoing where in Saudi my outgoing will be not that much but I guess I can save in 3 years for my deposit for the house and come back to UK...

Of course I will be taking some trip outside the kingdom .

If you guys offer same salary will u move?

Regards,

Redsn0w.

still.unsure

there's a lot of different reasons people come to work in the magic kingdom, but for myself, if it wasn't for the significant difference in salary (for the better) between the UK and here, i wouldn't be here. personally, riyadh is liveable but it ain't much fun if you're watching the pennies and, as such, don't live in a compound, can't afford to go out and spend much on entertainment (but films, magazines, etc.) and can't afford to travel often outside the kingdom.

from what you've described, if the employer is already using lines like "we can afford to pay you less b/c the UK is not so stable", i'd say no. this place can be challenging enough without a boss using lines like that.

Sky Blue

As opposed to starting a new thread and because it is about Riyadh, have been trying to get through to various large companies for the last week and it is a nightmare trying to locate a human being, generally just get through to recorded messages and can track down individuals, bloody frustrating, any advice would be welcomed???? Thanks

still.unsure

which companies? in what field?

Sky Blue

Can I PM you?

still.unsure

shoot

hoofie2002

Bear with me, but are you of Ethnic origin ? [e.g. Indian or Pakistani ?]

The reason I ask is that you mention that you have family there for one. Secondly, if you are of ethnic origin, the Saudi's will treat you like crap and pay you less - they won't care what country you were born in etc. or the standard of living you are used to, it's the colour of your skin that matters - disgraceful but true.

If any of this sounds rascist, I apologise, but I just wanted to warn you.

p.s. Check up on the cost of living in Saudi - it might not be as cheap as you think, especially if you are getting screwed on your salary.

lionheart

But then if you are a Muslim Pakistani you will have the privilege of being able to live only a short distance from the Holy City of Mecca and will not be seen as a threat to the community as you may be back in the UK.

mcmonkiez

-------


Hi

Well u spot on this as on interview guy was asking me where I m from said UK as I born in UK originally my parents from Pakistan origin..

Oke really a shame that live my whole life in UK and never I got treated bad by my skin colour or I m Pakistani origin or I m brown skin or Muslim.

I m really proud to call my self a British and shame that Muslims countries these Arab treat other Muslims so bad don't even give them rights or anything
I don't know how non Muslim feel this but I m sorry
Not all Muslims are bad

The problem is not Islam it's culture are messed up which give wrong impression to others about Islam anyway.

I m not very into religion LOL but all I can say is I m very greatful for British public and gov and other who give us same rights and treat us as a human not a animal.

My father was came here in UK in 1946 since he lived here served in British
Army and just everything is here we belong

Hate to say that might have to reject Saudi offer and tell them to spin on it I only need to work outside UK for deposit that's it and I m out of there as country like UK really u will never ever find place like UK not even a USA where state police law gun and all crap ...

The problem is with Arabs they don't treat other humans as a human being and their feelings like in news 10 year old girl force to marry

It's wrong and not acceptable at all
This is under age sex and that men should be registered on sex offender list ... U gets me...

No way in Islam allows that. And girl should have right to select her own husband and that's what Islam said not by forcing which is very comon in Asian countries ..

LOL sorry all that off the topic but

Let's see what I m going to do with this job

Sorry about my spell mistake on this as I m using iPhone and just got back from London Oxford steer which was great and thinking shyteee man I m leavng UK man feeling home sick already

still.unsure

think your decision to give saudi a side-step might be a wise one. the magic kingdom really isn't a place to intensely debate the differences between culture and religion, especially if you're coming from 'the west'. yes, as an asian, you'll probably have a very different experience to a 'white' person and suffer discrimination that you would not necessarily find in the 'west' and if you're not prepared for that (or willing to compensate yourself with money or some other thing that the magic kingdom provides), it will be nothing more than an uncomfortable part in your life.

hoofie2002

Saudi may not be the place for you. Whilst as a muslim there is the experience of living in the same country as the two holy mosques and being able to perform umrah on a regular basis or Haj even, there is a downside.

I've spoke at some length about this to my muslim colleagues when I lived in London; the downsides of living in Saudi Arabia [especially for woman] are considerable, especially for someone who is used to a more westernised life.

The biggest issue [and the one I alluded to] is that there is a definite racial pecking order in Saudi Arabia :

Top - Saudis, other gulf arabs
Westerners
Lebanese, Egyptians etc
Pakistanis
Filipinos
Bangladeshis
Africans

[You can argue about the lower placings but the first 2/3 are definite]. It doesn't matter if you are 100% cockney, 3 generations+ lived in the UK, etc; the Saudis will ALWAYS assume you are from Pakistan/India/Bangladesh and treat you as a 2nd/3rd class citizen. Oh and by the way, if you get into problems, the British Embassy is useless no matter what the colour of your skin.

If you want to look at working abroad, there is always Australia - not quite as multi-cultural but it's getting there, especially in the IT world. Ok, you won't save much money but it will broaden your horizons considerably.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but well done on doing some research and asking for opinions first. Best of luck !