Job Discussion Forums

jojoni · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 87

I am in the process of receiving an interview over the phone next week with one of the Ef's advisor of studies in Surabaya.
they offer 6,600. 00 (local currency) a month. I wonder to live comfortably I do not drink or smoke and not eat out that much. Would I be able to save 500 bucks (u.s. currency) a month?

Here in Saigon, it cost 300 bucks a month; food, travel between work and home, clothes, rent.

Ef school in Saigon has three salary levels: Level 1 is $1000.
Level 2 is $1100.
Level 3 is $1200.

I got an interview with ef school 2 weeks ago and I fit in level 2 at the interview. But unfortunately they can't offer the job because the school is still undercontruction so no students enroll yet.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Gurusome · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 58

Hi Jojoni.

I think you mean 6,600,000Rp. Unless you are working for about 60 cents a month... better check that contract before you sign it.

US$500 = about 5,200,000Rp.

That would leave you with 1,400,000 (about $US120) to spend each month. Even though that's around the average salary of some of the local teachers, you will lead a very austere existence if you have to stick to that budget.

The rupiah is jumping around a bit at the moment, too. Last week $500 would have been pretty close to 6.5 million, so you would have had to live on air.

In any event, Indonesia is a great place to spend money, not to earn it. You'd be better off doing some crappy job in the States and saving money there, then spend it in Indonesia where you can get ten times as much for the same dollar. That formula doesn't work for everything (imported stuff tends to cost almost the same in Indonesia as in other countries), but whatever you do don't buy a new pair of shoes before you leave home. Wait till you get to Surabaya and buy ten pairs of shoes for the same price.

But even though nearly everything is cheap, spending money is so easy that it can get away from you pretty quickly. Plenty of people to entice it away from you, too. And if you're planning to travel around a bit and stay in hotels, $120 won't go very far.

Save at home, spend in Indonesia. It works out better for everyone.

jojoni · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 87

Thank you gurusome. I think I will stay in Saigon for another month to see if the school that interview will call and offer the job otherwise I am heading home to States for sure and taking a scrappy job there.

Gurusome · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 58

Okie dokie, but when you do pay off your debts or save some money, definitely go to Indonesia. It's awesome. It would pay to do a fair bit of research on the country when you go home, just so you don't wind up in a city that doesn't suit you.

It seems that in most countries ESL wages are the same... enough to live and travel while you work, but not worth hanging onto for when you go home.

jojoni · Joined: 08 Jul 2004 Posts: 87

I know what you mean, but after Vietnam I am not travelling to any foreign countries anymore. I had spent 7 years in korea. That is enough for me.

gugelhupf · Joined: 24 Jan 2004 Posts: 575 Location: Jabotabek

guruengerish · Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Posts: 424 Location: Australia

Have to agree with this one. However, sandals come in quite large sizes. I used sandals outside as often as possible, and kept good shoes in my locker at school for classes.

Gurusome · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 58

What about factory outlets in Jakarta? Don't they make shoes for the export market there?

You could always do a trip to Solo. They've got that road that goes on forever, with nothing but shoes and bags for sale. A Dutch guy I was with found size 13 without much effort (I have no idea what that is in your weird 40+ language -- he was a big boy, though, about 6'4").

Not that I have much sympathy for you big guys, though... you deserve to suffer for standing in front of me at gigs for the last 20 years.

guruengerish · Joined: 28 Mar 2004 Posts: 424 Location: Australia

I've never seen shoes on sale at factory outlets, but they are certainly made in places such as Malang. I bought a 'bargain' there, only to discover that the leather had a split in it where it was hard to see. BTW the size was 43 - (European standard) size 8 in Australia and different again in the USA.

Clothes are a different thing, and the factory outlets in Bandung sell everything you could want. Often they're packed in sealed bags with the shop label and price overseas already attached. I was travelling to a winter in Australia,so bought a large Arctic jacket for Rp17,000; the US price was U$80.00.

Sorry, but I didn't ever see built-up heel shoes for the vertically challenged Smile