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yamahuh
Joined: 23 Apr 2004
Posts: 1033
Location: Karaoke Hell
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 Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:06 am Post subject: |
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| Mia Xanthi wrote: |
The best deal? Movies and booze. Can't buy either, so it saves you a bundle.
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That's why God created torrent sites 
As for the booze ... I've been in Taiwan for nearly 2 years and Asia for over 4. I could do with a break from the cheap, tasteless 'Taiwanese distinctive flavor tasty beer'.
Forced abstinence might get rid of my developing layer of insulation; shouldn't think I'd need it in KSA anyways  |
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Mark100
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 441
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 6:55 am Post subject: |
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I used to spend 2k riyals a month but then i started going to Bahrain every weekend and that put my costs up to 5k a month.
If you stay in Saudi you will be hard pressed to spend much more than 2k a month. |
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| As far as food goes, excellent local food can be had for 10 sr/person. Not just takeaway, but sit down food. I'm not talking exotic ethnic cuisine or Chilli's or Applebees but local food. Granted, I'm in Hail where we have no restaurants at the high end where two people could possibly spend 100, but then we are in the sticks. The most expensive item on any menu I've seen is 35sr in the restaurant on the little hill overlooking downtown (I use 'downtown' gratuitously) Hail. Seems to me the bigger cities have more options and more chance to blow one's easily earned riyals. |
I am the first to admit that I live an extravagant lifestyle compared to most EFL teachers, but the point I am trying to make is that even people who live extravagantly can afford to save. Restaurants in the greater Dhahran/AlKhobar/Dammam area obviously cost more than those in Hail, but food is still quite reasonable by most international standards.
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As far as transportation goes, transport is an expense not an investment. But 40sr round trip once/twice/thrice/week. Do you really think that is expensive?
I understand that single women can ride in the company of a married couple. At least, that is what I see. Someone correct me if this is not allowed but I was told it was. |
Some people (especially those with families) need to get out once a day. Yes, I do think that 40 SR per day becomes very expensive.
In the Eastern Province, single women can pretty much ride with whomever they please. However, the trick is getting someone to volunteer to give them a ride. Married people are not always willing to give single women rides, and single men are paranoid about it even though it is not much of a risk in this part of the Kingdom. |
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MyTrunkshow
Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 234
Location: One map inch from Iraq
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, getting out once a day would be expensive. I, too, MUST get out daily.
Am not old enough to accept being cooped up all day as an option.
And as my grandma said, "Go out. Just get out. You never know who you'll meet."
mts |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| The cost of a hairdresser in Saudi is SR15-20, though you can find cheaper. You get a Sri Lankan hairdresser in Sri Lanka for 3SR bu not outside. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Life in KSA, like just about anywhere else, is pretty much as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. I know a few members of the notorious "500 Klub" who pride themselves on spending no more than said amount each month, while I know others who spend virtually their entire salary on taxis, restaurant meals, socialising, shopping etc. Most people are somewhere in between, striking their own balance between saving money and spending enough to have what they consider a comfortable lifestyle.
The good news is that, although prices are rising quite a bit, the cost of living here is still considerably lower than in, say, Northern Europe. Combine this with the fact that most ESL teachers pay no rent, get free transport to work, and that utility bills tend to be quite low (at least outside the summer months), and you will see that it is perfectly possible to have a pretty good standard of living while still managing to save a reasonable amount. |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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| The best deal? Movies and booze. Can't buy either, so it saves you a bundle. |
And yet, some spend a lot on those items here, especially the latter one!
As for men's haircuts, the absolute minimum is SR. 10 ($2.67). When I go to such places, I pay SR. 15 ($4). They are usually manned by Pakistanis. If you go to Lebanese or Turkish barbers, they charge SR. 25 ($6.67). Still a bargain compared to any developed country.
And yes, 91 octane petrol really is very cheap, $0.45/gallon (US gallon, not Imperial gallon). 95 octane petrol is $0.60/gallon.
And that's 4th cheapest in the world... in Venezuela you pay a 3rd of that!
Check here:
http://www.designverb.com/wp-content/images/2007/06/gasprices.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrol_prices
On the other end of the scale, you have:
Netherlands: $10.11/gallon
Turkey: $10.30/gallon
Sierra Leone: $18.40/gallon  |
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Bebsi
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Sierra Leone: $18.40/gallon |
That's 3 Euro a litre, just about.
Bloody 'ell!!!! Mrs Bebsi and me won't be going there to hire a big Caddi for the hols, that's for sure. |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2008 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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That's more like 4 Euros/liter (3.83 to be exact)!
Imagine paying $300 just to fill up your car!!! I guess that means that even the middle class don't have cars in Sierra Leone?
(In Venezuela, you could fill up the same car for $2.77, or in Saudi for $7.34) |
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Bebsi
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 9:19 am Post subject: |
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| I guess that means that even the middle class don't have cars in Sierra Leone? |
Does Sierra Leone even have a middle-class?
And ever the pedant, Bebsi spotted his own mistake:
Instead of saying
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| Mrs Bebsi and me won't be going there |
I should, of course, have said "Mrs. Bebsi and I won't be going..." |
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Stephen Jones
Joined: 21 Feb 2003
Posts: 4124
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 11:17 am Post subject: |
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Instead of saying
Mrs Bebsi and me won't be going there
I should, of course, have said "Mrs. Bebsi and I won't be going..." |
Put on the airs and graces, have you? |
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Bebsi
Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 5:52 pm Post subject: |
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Well, dunno 'bout graces I'm losin' the 'airs pretty fast and what's left is showing grey
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Mia Xanthi
Joined: 13 Mar 2008
Posts: 955
Location: why is my heart still in the Middle East while the rest of me isn't?
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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| The best deal? Movies and booze. Can't buy either, so it saves you a bundle |
I guess the cost of living just went up: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117996919.html?categoryId=2526&cs=1
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Saudi Arabia lifts ban on cinemas
Rotana's 'Menahi' set to open on Dec. 9
Auds in Saudi Arabia can finally go to the movies again.
"Menahi," financed and produced by Saudi Prince Waleed bin Talal's film shingle Rotana, is set to become the first film to be released for public viewing since cinemas were banned by religious clerics in the 1970s.
Pic will open on two screens in Jeddah and Taef on Dec. 9. A private screening will also take place at the Dammam cinema club.
Prince Waleed's close connections with the Saudi royal family, led by the modernizing King Abdullah, were key to convincing authorities in Mecca to give the opening their blessing.
The pic's producers are wary of drawing too much attention, however, in case of a backlash by hardliners.
"We're worried that some of the conservatives might try to filibuster the opening," says Rotana general manager Ayman Halawani. "But we're still moving ahead with it." |
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trapezius
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 1670
Location: Land of Culture of Death & Destruction
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| Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2008 6:48 am Post subject: |
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I am in Jeddah, and today is December 9!
But, the article doesn't mention where it is going to be shown. Anybody know. I will hit Google now. |
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Cleopatra
Joined: 28 Jun 2003
Posts: 3657
Location: Tuamago Archipelago
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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| some of the conservatives might try to filibuster the opening," |
Oh dear! Looks like someone has had a bit of a run-in with google translate! |
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