Dearest readers, I need help.
I get a lot of emails from people who for some reason think I offer a private employment and immigration advice service. I don't.
The questions usually include "what's the cost of living in Oman?"
Now the answer to that is as long as a piece of string. To live like I do you would need a prodigiously ridiculous amount of money. I'd guess that just my monthly booze bill - 180 RO? 250 RO? - is more than 3 times what an Omani's housemaid would earn, Note: I'm counting eating out drinks.
Some expats survive for all their expenses on say a couple of hundred rials a month, if they are willing to share accomodation, take biaza buses, and eat cheap.
Meanwhile a comfortable Western Expat life (if you're child free) could probably be had for 2000 rials a month... (?) And a drop dead decent salary would be anything over 4k I'd guess.
At all levels the key is the allowances you can get. Housing? What type? Utilities? Car? Flights? Medical? Schooling??? (that's a big one)
Moving in allowance, signing bonus, minimum payment on termination, 13th month/ pension contribution? End of service benefit (statutory minimum 1 month per year based on base salary, usually paid per annum), repatriation deal, visa assistance, liquor licence fee,...
So, readers. Please add some info and data to all this. What are the current rents? What do you think the various costs of living are? What are typical salary levels? Any advice for these wanna-be expats?
Photo: A lot of potential expats are curious about what it costs to live in Oman
