I have an offer in Qatar- 75K USD a year with housing and benifits. Is this OK for a family of 4?
Thanks
QATAR
I know people who live there but they are in the military. They do seem to love being there, however. I also have an Egyptian friend who lives & works there. I have heard that it is quite expensive to fly out of if travel is your thing. Sorry I can give anymore info.
Do you mind posting what school you are referring to? I assume this must be a mid year offer, correct? Have you checked on the cost of living compared to your salary? That would be a good start if you haven't already done so.
Do you mind posting what school you are referring to? I assume this must be a mid year offer, correct? Have you checked on the cost of living compared to your salary? That would be a good start if you haven't already done so.
cost of living qatar
If housing is included (not an allowance - actual housing), in addition to transportation and school fees for kids - you can live and save some on that salary. The cost of living in Qatar is high and going up exponentially, with little relief in sight, but if the employer covers most of it, then you will be in fine shape.
A family of four can expect to spend around $1000 per month on food at this time. Hiring household help costs about $4-$6 per hour parttime, less if full time or giving housing. If you plan to travel outside of Doha during vacations, check out airfare. There are few destinations under $500 per ticket, and you'll be buying four. Vehicles are about the same price as stateside, perhaps slightly higher. Fuel is, of course, far cheaper - but the savings aren't much as you really don't put on a lot of miles it's such a tiny country. Eating out varies in price; if you're used to prices in a typical American city, you may not be surprised here. Alcohol is available with a license for non-Muslims, it costs easily twice what it does stateside. There is lots of shopping - too much shopping - and again, a wide variety of prices. Keep in mind that most locals are quite wealthy, as a fair number of expats are also making loads, so the market is aimed at them for the most part. Hopefully this gives you an idea of COL.
Make sure you're not tied into anything long term without the ability to re-negotiate your remuneration. Also, make sure if you have children that there are guaranteed places for them in the school of your choice - the American school and better British schools are mostly wait listing people at this point. If you're to be at one of these schools, obviously that would not be an issue for you. (Curious - is your offer at a secondary school or university?)
Housing is best for families if it's at a compound - if you're in an independent villa, it will seem a bit like a comfortable jail. Cannot stress enough - do NOT accept a mere housing allowance. Prices on rentals go up around 30% per year - a villa at a nice, primarily western, compound will cost around $5k-$8k and up per month - when they were half as little as two years ago. Also, if you're not on a compound and want to purchase a membership in a club with pool and beach access, count on paying at least 3k per year for family low end, 6k high end.
Best of luck in your decision making.
A family of four can expect to spend around $1000 per month on food at this time. Hiring household help costs about $4-$6 per hour parttime, less if full time or giving housing. If you plan to travel outside of Doha during vacations, check out airfare. There are few destinations under $500 per ticket, and you'll be buying four. Vehicles are about the same price as stateside, perhaps slightly higher. Fuel is, of course, far cheaper - but the savings aren't much as you really don't put on a lot of miles it's such a tiny country. Eating out varies in price; if you're used to prices in a typical American city, you may not be surprised here. Alcohol is available with a license for non-Muslims, it costs easily twice what it does stateside. There is lots of shopping - too much shopping - and again, a wide variety of prices. Keep in mind that most locals are quite wealthy, as a fair number of expats are also making loads, so the market is aimed at them for the most part. Hopefully this gives you an idea of COL.
Make sure you're not tied into anything long term without the ability to re-negotiate your remuneration. Also, make sure if you have children that there are guaranteed places for them in the school of your choice - the American school and better British schools are mostly wait listing people at this point. If you're to be at one of these schools, obviously that would not be an issue for you. (Curious - is your offer at a secondary school or university?)
Housing is best for families if it's at a compound - if you're in an independent villa, it will seem a bit like a comfortable jail. Cannot stress enough - do NOT accept a mere housing allowance. Prices on rentals go up around 30% per year - a villa at a nice, primarily western, compound will cost around $5k-$8k and up per month - when they were half as little as two years ago. Also, if you're not on a compound and want to purchase a membership in a club with pool and beach access, count on paying at least 3k per year for family low end, 6k high end.
Best of luck in your decision making.