Possible to save 14K QAR (4K CAD) per month??

One big question is if he will be paid in QAR or CAD. The CAD is now better than par with the USD (to which the QAR is pegged) - is he taking Forex fluctuations into account. It can be a significant factor

good point qatarisun, u have to also think about the "where" will u be living? complex, city center...

Sleepy, we are talking about saving after all expenses, right? All these tickets, kids' education , etc. are out of calculation. What I have done is simply deducted furniture allowance (3750) from your expected saving in Qatar (14200). so now your saving based on your calculation is not 14200, but 10450 which is CAD 2985. Now compare it with your saving in Canada.

Besides, I am not sure what do you mean by service cost up-front for the maid, but 500 QAR for twice a week cleaning service is definitely not enough. Each time will cost you at least 120 QAR, meaning about 1000 a month. Add transportation ( in case you don't pick her up and drop her off) about 200 QAR a month.

To Qatarisun, thank you, good point. Now, this probably belongs in the "Salary and allowance" section, however, the total package will not be 28K QAR per month, but more like 40-50K I would think(20K basic + 3K WIA + accomodation and education for 2 kids fully paid for + tickets, 1000 QAR transport), so must be up around 40K QAR per month for sure. Purely from a monetary point of view, would you change $8K CDN (total package, net of taxes) per month to the kind of QAR package I described? (thanks for your feedback and sorry I i'm making you repeat yourself).

mary.. he is currently saving C$3,456.50 (as per his spreadsheet). He wants to save C$3,890.14.

C$433.64 more.. :):)

By the way, I have just noticed, you didn't allow anything for travelling from Doha.. well, this is miscalculation.. you will desperately desire to get out of this sandpit at least 2-3 times a year.. :)

so again, I definitely wouldn't change almost C$8000 to QAR 28,000.. unless you are looking for anything but extra saving..

I guess my question would be - why can't you save that amount in Canada on your quoted salary?

These are all comments - Its your decision that counts.

To all who have posted: thank you for your time and your comments, everyone has an opinion, and I respect each of yours. I welcome more comments, please bear in mind I attached a spreadsheet. Maybe others on this site can find it useful for their own personal budgeting purposes..

No disrespect meant, but...

1. We will never, ever again have to shovel a driveway which is the most useless waste of time and energy. - get someone to do it, I'm sure there are people who will do it for a fee.

2. Our maid will fold our laundry and clean our toilets, not us. Such a complete waste of time that could otherwise be spent playing Wii with my kids. - Teach your kids to fold their own laundry. That way it's done faster and they start to get responsible too

3. We'll be able to travel to Europe, Asia, etc, being closer. Something that my children will never be able to do because we simply cant afford it here. We're getting annual round-trip air tickets in Qatar. - It probably is the same to fly from Canada to Asia than from the Mid East to Asia. Being an aviation employee, I know you get great discounts if you're smart enough and book in advance.

Sleepy do you know petrol/Diesel is so cheap ... we literally use it to wash our car... the under body after the dune bashing...

But you will have to wash your car every single day...almost because everyday the car is wet :(

So Sleepy, with your sense of adventure you should really make the move here and see for your self. And remember the Nay –Sayers are advising you not to come, living here! not in their respective countries!!!So much for heartfelt sympathizers. To get out of the cold there is no place like the desert and yes up rooting the kids while they are very young and giving them an opportunity to see the world is a good bargain. Look within you , see if you ‘ve got it to face an adventure and make it back if it doesn’t work and GO FOR IT.

hahahahaha good one Colt45

I totally agree with Qatarisun, she gave you an accurate picture.

Alumnar also add valid points!

i would just add that to shovel a driveway (and even to drive on ice) is much safer than driving here.

check out this post and you’ll have a perception of how risky and dangerous is driving in this region:

http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1587240

The 6,000 QAR won't get you far. Import food? So expensive. Eating out? A good restaurant in a Hotel can set you back 1k and that's not including much alcohol at all. To use gym, pool if you don't have it, memberships are expensive. A good SUV and another smaller vehicle set you back at least 5-6,000 only for monthly installments if you get a bankloan, count with another 8k yearly for full insurances. A maid, as you say, sets you back around 2k a month if you want to be fair - plus 10k sponsorship costs, yearly leave and and and... You'll be lucky if you save 5k - very lucky! You want the lifestyle, yes it costs. Is it worth it though? Good luck.

to shovel a driveway is much healthier than feeling like your brain is literally melting in 52 degree..

you say: Furniture Allowance-3750(monthly)-45000 for the year.

Please check it. I doubt, that you will get every year 45,000 for furniture. It is one-time allowance, depreciated over 5 years. And if you quit your job let's say in 3 years, you will have to pay the rest back to Company. So take 45,000 out of your calculation, as you will need it for buying furniture. Forget about this money.

So take 3750 out of your monthly saving. You will be left with C$3000 as saving. It is not worth it.

Here they say: to make it worth to come here you have to make at least 1,5 times more than you have at home. This is not your case.

28,000 for the family in Doha is very average income. While monthly income C$7800 in Canada is rather luxury income.

Let alone lifestyle (poor services, lack of selection in everything, double-triple prices on everything, except for gas), low quality education, and the main thing, you will be leaving your REAL friends and close ones behind.. There are NO real friends here.. either drinking (or parting) buddies, or some users who will try to use you in any possible way.. Plus cultural shock, plus restrictions on daily basis, total control, etc., etc., etc. All that could be tolarated with double salary .. but QAR 28,000 a month???

...Britexpaxt, that was awesome. Really entertaining. You read my mind!! How nice it must be to have your vehicle nice and shiny all year round!!

This could be an interesting adventure, maybe something different. I dont want to die here in the ice and cold. I want to "live life a little" even if means uprooting the kids...they will get to "see the world" at least...

Date: Sun, 3 Nov

Ah,yes... O Canada, Our home and native land!

Dear Diary

Aug. 12 - Moved to our new home in Canada. I am so excited. It's so beautiful here. The mountains are so majestic. Can hardly wait to see them with snow covering them.

Oct. 14 - Canada -- it is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves have turned all colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful countryside and saw some deer. They are so graceful. Certainly they are the most wonderful animals on earth. This must be paradise. I love it here!

Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day. Deer season starts soon. I can't imagine anyone wanting to kill such a gorgeous creature. Hope it snows soon. I love it here!

Dec. 2 - It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed with white. It looks like a postcard. We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled the driveway. We had a snowball fight (I won). When the snow plough came by we had to shovel the driveway again. What a beautiful place. I love Canada!

Dec. 12 - More snow last night. The snow plough did his trick again to the driveway. I love it here.

Dec. 19 - More snow last night. Couldn't get out of the driveway to get to work. It's beautiful here but I'm exhausted from shoveling. F#cking snow plough.

Dec. 22 - More of that white shit fell last night. I've got blisters on my hands and a sore back from shoveling. I think the snow plough hides around the corner until I'm done shoveling the driveway. Asshole.

Dec. 25 - Merry F#cking Christmas! More frigging snow. If I ever get my hands on the sonovabitch who drives the snow plough, I swear I'll kill the bastard. Don't know why they don't use more salt on the roads to melt the f#cking ice.

Dec. 27 - More white shit last night. Been inside for three days now except for shoveling out the driveway after that snow plough goes through every time. Can't go anywhere, the car's stuck in a mountain of white crap and it is so frigging cold. The weatherman says to expect another 10 inches of the crap again tonight. Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?

Dec. 28 - That f#cking weatherman was wrong. We got 34 inches of the crap this time. At this rate it won't melt before summer. The snow plough got stuck up in the road and that bastard came to my door and asked to borrow my shovel. After I told him that I had already

broken six shovels shoveling out all the crap he had pushed into my driveway, I damn near broke my last one over his f#cking head.

Jan. 4 - Finally got out of the house today. Went to the store to get food and on my way back a damned deer ran in front of the car. Did about $3,000 damage to the car. Those beasts should be killed. The bastards are everywhere. Wish the hunters had

exterminated them all last November.

May 3 - Took the car to the garage in town. Would you believe the thing is rusted out from all that salt they put all over the roads.

May 10 - Moved to Doha. I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever want to live in such a God forsaken place as Canada!

...everyone, thank you kindly.

Now I'm confused about the "Quality of life being worse in Qatar" part.

Here is the problem: This place (Calgary) is so $&%^ cold, it can make your head explode sometimes. Based on the feedback provided, the monthly savings will be around the same, maybe a little bit more.

BUT

1. We will never, ever again have to shovel a driveway which is the most useless waste of time and energy.

2. Our maid will fold our laundry and clean our toilets, not us. Such a complete waste of time that could otherwise be spent playing Wii with my kids.

3. We'll be able to travel to Europe, Asia, etc, being closer. Something that my children will never be able to do because we simply cant afford it here. We're getting annual round-trip air tickets in Qatar.

4. We can drive to Dubai where we have tons of friends..

Please keep the comments coming, thanks so much!!

Yohooo.... Mr. Sleepy.....R U there...?

I would suggest to take the deal.

Infact you would be making well over 50k QR per month. How, you ask ??

the 2 most important expenses here in Doha are house rents and kids schooling... having Two children, school fee per month is around 8000 QR and school choice is very limited for expats. house rent is around 13000 QR to 18000 QR per month. so you should include that as well though your not paying out of your packet but the company is paying for it and its counted towards the expense. you should also be able to ask for rent allowence incase if you decide to look for your owen accomodation. Don't forget that company will provide for medical insurance for you and family members. thats also a cost which is hidden. private clinic are expensive since most people avoid the public hospitals. a visit to the doctor for consultation is 300 QR excluding the lab, medicines.

you are going to save more then 14k QR . How , you ask ???

simply because Doha life style is pretty laid back and not much to do. some people would take this as a disadvantage but in my opionion this can be taken as a good sign of saving money.

its the best place to raise kids? how , you ask ???

crimes rates are hardly heard of . minor crimes are reported every now and then. Qatar is geard towards family enviroment and women are respected in the local culture. I have 2 children and very happy with the upbringing. Infact they are learning in this diverse enviroment with people from every where.

the only thing that would trouble you is the weather. speically coming from a cold place, you're going to find this place a frying pane. but after 1 or 2 years you would adjust to the climate :) hopefully...

Do you have your glasses on or a glass in your hand? He's mentioned that Housing will be provided :-P

"Offer: 20K basic. 3K west induce allowance. Housing, educating FULLY paid for".

What about housing in Doha? Is it company accommodation?

If its not company accom. then it could be minimum:

2BHK Appartment = QR7,000 per month

5BHK Villa - QR10,000 per month

You may need to consider adding contingency into your monthly expenses. Unexpected expenses normally come up. Real life example would be: kid's school activities, kid's party, friend's gathering, sports events, traveling around Qatar, hobbies? etc.10% contingency should be sufficient to cover.

Also furniture allowance is one-off allowance (not per year), depreciated over 3-4 years depending upon your employment contract (permanent or contract basis) so it should not be factored in your pro-rated monthly inflows. You should return the remaining depreciated amount if you resign prior to 3-4 years.

have you taken into consideration the taxes you will still have to pay back home?

Just a simple thumb rule that applies quite nicely to this part of the world. You can accept an offer that gives you a 30% increase on the net end-of-month savings compared to your present job.

You also need to keep in mind that there are always some expenses related to relocation even though most of it is borne by your company. You also need to factor in the change in lifestyle, adaptation issues for children and if it is worth the move for just a CAD500 advantage.

You will be able to save about that much, however the questions here is, how much are you saving back home and are you willing to give up the lifestyle you now lead for a few dollars more?... or a few hundres dollars more? ;-)

I too agree with Nic... its a normal offer...

with brit expat, with your projects you can, weather salary is low or high u have to decide. but some people are always negative,

Your question is whether you can save your target amount.

The simple answer is YES!

I agree with Nic, very bad offer!

please dont DONT go for this as this is very low for family in Qatar

dont think of savings in this amount you can hardly manage to live in this.

as i know westreners have high living standards.

ask for 30K + Housing and schooling

Sleepy,

I am sorry to tell you but you have been offered a bad deal.

It is not worth it the swap, trust me on this one!

Considering what you are making back home, your seniority and the huge sacrifice one makes to live in this kind of place, you should aim for a package of 50K to 60K QAR / month.

Anything less than that, you are being misled.

Honestly, I wouldn't leave Calgary with the conditions you have there, to come to a place like this (it's not exactly what we think it is. The worse is unveiled once we get here) for the tiny package you've been offered.

from monetary point of view it is better to live in doha because there are no taxes. it saves you a lot but the amount you save on taxes maybe you will compensate it by spending more. As for the environment for your children, it is best that they stay in Canada. This is a sad country and i dont want to raise my kid here.

Congratulation Mr. Sleepy on the meticulously planed economic projection, down to the last detail! You seem to be more “woken up” than most around here and so never “sleepy””:P Coming to your question, QR 5000 looks enough for groceries and clothes for a family of 4.Also the annual tickets for travel and medical expenses will have to be takes care of. I gather that your company should be paying for these, if so then your spread sheet looks O.K enough to give it a try. Also, it would be nice if you can have a 6 month some kind of a job security back home so that in-case you don’t find some thing to your liking here there is always a net to fall back to. Regarding the life style here the extend of boredom you might face can better be discussed d with some fellow Canadians here in QL , they be better equipped to advice you on the non monetary sacrifices you have to make by moving here. Also need to consider the impact of raising your children in a very different environment from your own.Good Luck!

Think twice Mr. Sleepy. Life here is more expensive than what you think. There are no taxes but the prices of everything is more than enough for it. Another thing life is alive and kicking in your place. Here you have to look and discover how to entertain yourself. With your estimates yes you can save that amount. But it's not only saving. It's also about loving this place so different from your place. You are the master of your faith and the captain of your soul. Good luck.