Job Discussion Forums

bohinj · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 30

I've been checking out the posts on the UAE and Saudi boards. It seems the best money is in Saudi Arabia but the UAE is almost as good. If a teacher is making an average salary in either of these places how much money is possible to save per month? FYI--I'm married but no kids, would buy a used car, need to work out at a private health club or work-sponsored gym, don't need many luxuries but would like satellite TV and internet. By the time I apply, I will have a B.A., TEFL cert., and 5 years teaching experience including overseas. Previous career was in retail management for 12 years.

shadowfax · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2003 8:26 am Post subject:

Unless you get lucky, I should say the average save for your circumstances would be between 800 and 1000 pounds sterling.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I think a target of US$1,000 monthly is realistic, unless you want to live like a miser. Private Health Club ? You are talking serious money there. And people in the KSA usually spend a bit on holidays as weel. Otherwise you are in grave danger of going totally mad. As it is most people that spend any length of time in Saudi have serious psychaitric problems. Some disguie them but in my experience most western expats in the K of SA are barking mad, or on the way to it.

Iy you are part of a couplke and the wife works then you could save more, depending on wife's income. But be aware that retail therapy is highly-developed in KSA.

Do you still want to go there ?

bohinj · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 30

That's not near as much as I thought. I was able to save US$1,000-1,500 per month in Japan, living pretty much normally--including a private health club. By the way, my salary there was the minimum wage for foreign teachers. Unfortunately, the weather in Japan sucks and I got very tired of the crowds. Are the salaries compared to living expenses in the UAE better?

Cleopatra · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2003 4:37 am Post subject:

You can certainly save a lot of money here in KSAS - after all, that's the reason most people come here. Exactly how much depends, of course, on your salary and living costs.
As the poster says, private gyms are pricey here. However, if you're living on a compound, it won't be neccessary, as most compounds have good sporting facilities. Also, many - not all - places of work also have some kind of free gym on the premises. So, this is one expense you can probably do without.
Will your wife be working? If not, I would think seriously about coming here. Life here is very boring even for people who work full-time, so if your wife has neither job nor kids to occupy her, she'll find very very little with which to fill her time, no matter how resourceful she is.
I don't totally agree that all long-term KSA expats are loonies. It's just that a lot of them are! In my experience, however, expats here tend to be materialistic and unimaginative rather than stark raving mad. Sure, the money is great, but the social scene just isn't what it used to be.

Mark100 · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 441

How much you save is a function of how much you earn.
With your quals the most you are likely to get is 10,000 riyals a month.
If you are frugal you could save 8000 of that but then you have to as has been mentioned take hols and these cost a lot in my experience.
You might be better off stayiing in Japan by the sound of things.

bohinj · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 30

My wife would be working too--I hope. She has the same quals as I have but only 2.5 years of experience. Thanks to her creativity and ability to sniff out bargains, we saved a bunch in Japan. Life was nice in Japan but we both want to experience another region together. I guess I'd try to get hired from the U.S. and she would try to find a job after we arrived.
Do expats go hiking, are there hash runs (I think I read somewhere that there are), do people get together for parties--like BBQs? We have always been able to find things to do that don't cost a ton of money.
I really appreciate all your input.

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 4:14 am Post subject:

It's good that your wife would be working, but two things to bear in mind.

1. Because of segregation rules, it's much harder for women to find EFL work in KSA than it is for men. Most of the female teachers here are working in international schools, not teaching EFL. Having said that, I am living proof that it certainly is possible!
2. If your wife gets a job after she arrives here, she will be on a 'local' as opposed to 'international' contract. Often conditions are not as good on these contracts but they are more flexible.

As for social life, well, as I say it ain't what it used to be. I speak not as a KSA vet - I've only been here 2 years - but without exception every single one of the expats I know says that social opportunities have decreased dramatically here over the past couple of years, with no sign of things picking up. There are still parties, BBQs, desert hikes, but they are few and far between. A friend told me that only a few years ago there was a choice of five parties on a Thursday night - now, you'd be lucky to find even one.

If that all sounds grim then it shouldn't. With realistic expectations KSA can be a good place for a year or two, and it's certainly much easier for couples than for singles. Also, think about where you go. Riyadh is dour and dreary, but Jeddah - and, to a lesser extent, the cities of the Eastern province - are relatively much more relaxed. Relative, of course, being the key word!

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

I'd think about staying in Japan. The weather sucks in the Gulf because you have to stay inside all the time.

If you are coming with the wife and have the choice choose the Emirates. You will save less because you spend more but being relatively young and with two of you that won't matter.

bohinj · Joined: 03 Mar 2003 Posts: 30

Actually, we aren't particularly young anymore...we're both in our early 40s and that's one of the main reasons for the big push to pump up the savings. Does anyone out there have income/savings vs. spending info. for the UAE? I also forgot to mention my wife's primary occupation for about 15 years has been writing and editing, which might be a marketable skill in the ME. She got a great job offer working as an editor in Japan just before we left the country--sometimes we kick ourselves that we didn't stay. I guess we are both ready for someplace new and profitable for a couple years.

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 4:15 am Post subject:

Remember that most decent jobs in the UAE require a Masters degree in TESOL or Applied Linguistics, which, unfortunately, you don't seem to have. The same applies for universities in KSA. You might get a job teaching in a private school or company, but the conditions aren't nearly as good.
By the way, I don't agree with the above post about the weather in the Gulf being dreadful. In fact, for about 7 or 8 months of the year, it's great! Even now, in the height of the Riyadh summer, while it is of course too hot for comfort - even at night - I'd prefer that to bone chilling Northern winters any time. I still go out shopping - and I have to wear the black abaya and headscarf!

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

How much can someone with an MA and five years of experience get paid in the Middle East? Furthermore if you have an MA in German and Foreign Language Education would it qualify you to get a higher paying job?

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

Ballpark numbers... depending on country and employer... somewhere between US$2000 - 3000 a month plus standard Middle East benefits of housing, tickets, and healthcare.

I doubt that you would get any more money for having more than one MA unless one of them was an MBA and you had extensive business experience allowing you to enter a business department rather than language..

VS

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

veiledsentiments, I only have one MA. My MA is n German Literature with a minor in foreign language education. Is it possible to get a second job if you are in a big city?

Anways I have heard of people making $5,000-6,000 a month. Where can I get a job like that and what kind of qualifications do I need???

Stephen Jones · Joined: 21 Feb 2003 Posts: 4124

The only place in the Gulf that pays $5000-$6000 a month with benefits is BAe (the salary is around �3,900 sterling a month at present because of the �1,000 sterling danger allowance).

In other places in Saudi the salary maxes out at around $50,000 a year. Aramco contractors will offer you a good salary, but you may find that the really good salaries are because housing, travel and medical insurance are to be paid out of your salary.

Emirates and Qatari salaries seem to be on a par with Saudi salaries. Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Omani salaries tend to be lower.

With your qualifications you should pick up around $3,000 plus benefits in Saudi without too much trouble.