Job Discussion Forums

[Al-gandol]

I have just signed a job contract in Oman for a monthly salary of 1320 O.R. (with paid housing/ medical, kids schooling and airfare). I will be living in Muscat area. Will this salary be adequate in terms of cost of living for a family of four kids (food, clothing, making monthly payment for a rented car or used car..etc). Your inputs on this is highly appreciated. I will be moving from U.S. This my first time working and living in that part of the world.

regards;
Al-gandol

[mci]

Well, gandol, thanks for mocking the material benefits of our profession. That is a very good salary plus benefit package - if you are a teacher, you have hit some kind of jackpot that is unknown in Oman.

But, I assume you aren't - so I'll help you anyway...

Muscat can be expensive if you want to eat all of the same brands that you can get at home. Some vegetables are ridiculous, so you do without things like broccoli and asparagus unless you want to pay through the nose. A car rental, lets say a Nissan pathfinder (4*4 recommended for weekend camping etc.) should be about 200+ a month - if you're staying for a while, don't bother - you can buy them cheaper than in the states and they keep their resale relatively well. Clothes, toys, furniture can get expensive - the styles you might be used to in the states will cost you - for example a nice queen-size bed will be 250, a good tv console, 150 etc.

You can spend 30-50 rial pretty easily at a restaurant here with your family - a western kind of restaurant - usually at one of the hotels. A good Indian joint will be half that, but no beer...speaking of which, a pint at a pub can be from 1.5 to 2.3 rials, cans from 1 to 2 rial depending on brand, venue, Russian, Arabic or Indian entertainment (the family may not enjoy)

Trips to Dubai for the amazing waterpark, concerts, shopping etc. will also dig into your wallet but your kids may insist. As far as the schools, if it's paid, are they giving you a choice? The American International School of Muscat or the American British Academy are very very good - U.S. AP curriculum or the IB program, decent sports, good extra-curricular stuff etc.

I hope that helps - and please don't ever mention that package on this forum again, it might convince some that they're in the wrong profession

mci

[QatarChic]

Wow!

That's a very good salary for Oman- and you should have no problem settling there at all with your family- food can be cheap- and as someone else said here as well, you have a wide variety of places to eat at.

In terms of Muscat as a city it's FANTASTIC- very family orientated- actually Oman I find is a very family frendly country, safe with lots of things to do. You'll find that having a car is a necessity- and also an asset, especially when you want to venture out at weekends- there really is so much that you can do and see there. The scenery in some parts is SPECTACULAR- The Dhofar Region in the South, The Musandam peninsula, Sur, Sohar....Omanis are really friendly, humble and honest people. I think you'll have a BRILLIANT time there and will have no problem whatsoever adapting to the country.

Good luck with the move

(Feel free to pm me for more info as I used to live there myself)