Job Discussion Forums

opalessense · Joined: 03 Jul 2003 Posts: 2

Hello, I am thinking of moving off to somewhere.
I think this question may be out of place, or else dumb, but what should i put into consideration?
Rent and food is what I am thinking of... but what other living costs are there, and how do I find out?

Thanks!!!

yaramaz · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 6:18 am Post subject:

...transportation costs, both within your city, getting to and from work, or to shopping or whatever, and around the country (weekend getaways save sanity)
...internet/phone costs, to keep in touch with the outside world.
...pleasurable things- restaurants, english books, beer, etc. THEY do matter.

I found that in Turkey most of my money went toward buying English books and newspapers, music CDs, visiting nearby towns (like Goreme or the Med. coast), eating cakes and drinking wine. Ha. O, and going to the movies. Thank god they subtitle and don't dub.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Don't forget...

utilities (and depending on extreme seasons, what the air conditioning or heating may be like)

health insurance (do you have to buy it from abroad, or is there something local, like national health insurance? how well are prescriptions covered?)

emergencies (medical and trips home, depending on whether you have ailing friends/family, or people about to get married)

outstanding debts (and how you intend to pay them while you are away)

taxes (country tax, local tax, sales tax, foreign income tax)

what your job may offer in the way of salary, overtime, grueling/nice schedule, necessary training period (at the same/lower rate of pay?), bonuses (and how they may be doled out), and other amenities

whether you are forced to share housing with fellow teachers

whether the odds are you will live in a rural or urban environment

what your language skills are (and how much they may be needed in class and in daily life, and whether you will need to pay for lessons)

whether you will need a car to travel to your job site(s), and if so just what do you pay for (insurance, gas, checkup, service contract, repairs)

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

This is a really difficult one. The problem is that you do not how you will live until you go there.

People choose to live differently and these choices impact on what they spend.

What I am saying is that there is no easy answer.