Job Discussion Forums

eslteacher2014 · Joined: 08 May 2014 Posts: 66

At my old job in kSA, they would pay us 10% driving allowance, 25% housing.
So for example if you made 12,000 SAR, you would get 1200 SAR driving, and 3000 SAR housing, which was pretty decent.

I have gotten in touch with some of the govt universities, ex, KAU, KKU Taibah,ect, but they all have a standard allowance, of 17,000 yearly (1416 amonth) housing and 500 driving. I don't know but that seems very low, i don't if i can afford a flat for 1400 a month?

Any thought?

Sheik Yerbuti · Joined: 02 Dec 2012 Posts: 105 Location: the promised land

I get more than 6000 a month housing, so yes that is chintzy. Uni jobs in
Saudi are quickly becoming the ESL ghetto.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Transport allowance - what you call "driving allowance" - is often SR500 a month.

nomad soul · Joined: 31 Jan 2010 Posts: 11454 Location: The real world

17000 SAR is enough for a basic, unfurnished one-bedroom flat in Jeddah, which has a lower cost of living than Riyadh. The one-time furniture allowance is 8500 SAR.

rollingk · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 212

This housing allowance gets you into an AC-hanging-out-the wall (or worse, window) kinda place, most probably with uncertain plumbing, and very chintzy common areas. And with the furniture allowance you'll most probably need to fill those gaping holes in the walls with your very own clunky ACs, create a kitchen from scratch, as well as purchase the usual furniture for the rest of your place.

The bright side: the allowances put you well above the average service worker in KSA, so if you're happy with that go for it.

Mysterious · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 170

Quite a few uni jobs offer SR 750+ for travel allowance. Where my spouse is at the moment, they are getting 1,000 riyals a month for it.

But yeah, don't settle for 17,000 for housing.. unless of course, you're by yourself, or if you do have a family, but are willing to dig deep into your wages to pay for a better place.

I've seen the job description for taibah university and know for a fact that you can't get anything decent for 17,000.

eslteacher2014 · Joined: 08 May 2014 Posts: 66

Ed Ex and ICEAT offer 2750 housing and 600 transportation allowance as subcontractors. They offer more than many of the direct hires (kau, kku, taibah, bisha uni ect)

but i suppose direct hire has its own benefits,60 days vacation, don't have to clock in and out, jobs tend to be more secure

Mysterious · Joined: 24 Sep 2011 Posts: 170