Just Living in Qatar
Life in Doha is getting hard enough with the rising cost of living that lately, seems to be inversely proportional to the income of an "average middle class person" or how we define such a class. Now, a stage has reached where we need to re-define the "middle class" category - it should start from 7,500 usd (27,375 qr) and above and give a new definition to the ppl earning below 12,000 qr - "Just Living" class sounds good.
7,000 - 12,000 - Just Living class
12,000 qr - 20,000 - Lower Middle class
20,000 qr - 27,375 qr - Almost there Middle class
27,375 qr - 36,500 qr - Middle class
36,500 qr - 50,000 qr - Lower High class
50,000 qr - 75,000 qr - Almost there High class
75,000 qr - 100,000 qr - High class
100,000 qr and above - The Classy
Sheikhs - Oil Class
If all this was not sufficient, try getting a simple job done such as getting your car serviced at the authorised service centre. The first thing that you should consider is whether you know or you happen to know an acquaintance who might be a friend of the dealership manager or the Sheikh that owns the dealership. If not, get prepared to wait a minimum of 1 week waiting for a simple work estimate. And all this while you have the not so cheap rent a car bill breathing down your neck. If all this was not enough, their innocent "I told you to bring your car when it is free" might make you think whether it was a mistake giving it to them for service. To think positively, the poor salesman might have mistaken me for a Sheikh who has a dozen cars and just gave one of them to the service centre.
Life in Qatar is not for the meek and unknown. It is a land of the rich and the famous. Everybody is expected to know somebody who might know that "somebody" to get some favours done. Else, you are just a nobody.
Prices are over inflated everywhere starting from the local grocery store (blame it on the demand and supply theory) to car showrooms.
How many of you have had the feeling that the price that you paid for your car was fair and you were not taken for a ride by the salesman because you did not know the required manager or Sheikh? How many of you think that you are paying a fair price in Landmark when you are able to get the same item at a much reduced price in Lulu Hypermarket.
I dont own any stocks or have an interest in either of these places but living in Qatar has become more of "knowing somebody" rather than having money alone. And to think that money can buy everything is fast getting old and out dated.
Have to go out now. Will continue after I am back..
"Somebody known.."
Hello there . . . and sorry for not responding earlier. I do not participate in the forum on a daily basis due to other plannings. I just joined like less than 2-3 weeks ago as I remember . . . but I am trying to participate by sharing feedbacks and opinions on several interesting issues. I keep reading the Qatar Living website daily though!
Ok . . . now to your remarks. . . happy that my tips helped since I am a reserved person. . . compliments and promises for what i can do, otherwise, it is all talk and I do not like that!
Sure! if your salary does not include the car and house, then this is much better than what I knew earlier when you said just QR 14,000. Now, for the insurance issue, sure! it does not hurt to ask about it, plus it depends who you work for; public sector? private sector? good private sector? or trashy private sector? this all depends . . . IT DOES NOT HURT TO RAISE THE SUBJECT!
Now, for your wife speaking English, Italian and Greek, that is nice but just a secretary? what a pitty life, but it is ok. My friend, I have 3 degrees and multi-language and it was hard for me to find a job, i got interviews, follow ups, passed exams i was requested, but i realized it is the God damn beauracracy .. . i really tried to do things on my own without kissing or polishing and all those sorts of stuff. Yes I got something related to my line at the end and without polishing and begging no one, but when I arrived/came here several months ago, I came for 3 specific employers here in Qatar but with no luck, even though I was called, I did the interviews and took exams and I got to know, but then . . . you do not know where things are . . why those 3 in specific? because not just the nature of the job that is in line with my line, but because their salaries are more convenient for me, but as they say, one bird in the hand rather than ten on the tree and I have to be loyal to the bird, which I am, in doing my work with passion and interest. But lets be frank, I am a world traveller and cultured, I am male Arab citizen, and I will be open with you. . .. if your wife happens to be an EU citizen, since I do not know where she is from - then with such three languages and - I assume a university degree - she can have an opportunity specially with anything has to do with the media, journalism and communications if possible. Welcome to the club!
I hope that was useful .. . .
For your compliments on my name, thank you! I got to know the Argentine Tango version of it during my stays in France, America and Egypt and I got to learn it and practice it, but I was always doing so, so I do not forget at least 7 or 8 different steps from it. The lack of practice made me forget extra 5 or 6 more advanced steps, but what can I do. I took that opportunity, since I was not sure if/when I go to the Gulf one day, I will ever have the chance. . life is short !! but 8 different steps are not bad at all!
Yes! it is the best dance and if life sucks, Tango can give/offer you a different angel to sense life . . in Argentina they say: "Tango es l'amor . . Tango es la vida"
Good for you and your wife . .
I hope I was informing and not boring !!
Thank you for your tips about qatar. I will take them seriously in mind before I take my decision. My wife will try to find a job when (if) we arrive to Qatar, she speaks italian english and greek and she works as a secretary. Do you think it would be easy for her to find a nice job?
And something else, except from the salary they offer me and house and car. Is there anything else that I have to ask (like insurance)?
As for your nick name "Tango69" we took some lessons for tango and it is a great dance. We realy enjoed it.
Thank you very much
Sorry . . i meant to say at the end "Livin La Vida Loca" [not loco] my finger his the wrong key and I hope you [not I] are informed.
cheers to all !
It seesms you just joined this forum like I did.
Well, your salary of QR 14,000 is almost at the edge of the expected requirement to live as a normal human being here since the edge would be at QR15,000. But it is nicer if your wife work while you are earning this salary for one simple thing, so you can enjoy the life and experience with your loved one, plus to take care of the normal daily needed expenses, PLUS if you are thinking of saving money on the side. I would assume you have no kids, but if you do, then the burden will be more. If your wife does not work, then this can be tight kind of us, specially if you think of of going out with her on a weekly basis and spend sometime in a nice place and if you think to buy her something nice on a regular basis.
There are many people - with very good qualifications- but what a pitty that some of them earn around QR.7000 or QR. 9000 or QR. 11,000 and usually those live tightly or find a way or another to find another source of income, unless they want to drive a cracky car, be a couch potato at home and think of saving something.
In the 70's and early 80's the salaries were good and the expenses were fair and the savings were possible and the price of oil was high, now the price of oil is much much higher, but inflation has risen, much harder to save and living tight and and even spend less time with your loved now. . . .logically, when the price of oil has risen, it should make things more relaxing, but in reality, it made things the opposite.
Don't judge the book by the cover!
Welcome to Globalization, Welcome to Free market, Welcome to Corporate monopoly, individualism and humans'greed. Too sad! but as Puerto Rican Singer Ricky Martin said "LIVING LA VIDA LOCO" si . . si Martin Tu esta muy correcto !!
I hope I was informed. .
Hello everybody,
well i found this site 3 days ago and I have read many different things about the living in qatar. Well I had an offer from my company to come and work in qatar as project supervisor (as a representative of my company there). The package of the offer was house, car, telephone and almost 14000 QR salary.
Is it a good offer?
will I have a good live in qatar, in order to have everything and have quality time with my wife?
How will I live with sush an ammound of money?
An advise would be very helpfull because I am trying to decide if I have to accept the offer or not.
Thank you everybody!
Gpan
I just joined this website after following it for the past few weeks since my arrival a little while ago .. . . . and I totally agree with the headline of prices and the post and comments on the how to work for the DAGOC . . ..
Just to make a point clear, there is no such place is perfect, but each place has the positive and negative side .. .it is just a matter of which one is with a stronger impact . . .
For the two topics though . . .
It is the beauracracy . . .
It is those who never show up and always "busy" and they are not, but either having coffee or on holidays or or or or or or . .. total disrespect to people's time and planning . . . and the problem it all starts with their initiative from them, they think they have to give a compliment and offer their phone numbers when you meet them first and offer what they bully about, then when you do, they never answer the phone and/or never you can get hold of.
Also . . it is unfortunately the disgraceful mis-use of the beautiful Arabic word "inshalla" . . .. .
Something that many people miss, which reflect-sometimes-their selfishiness or individualist attitude . .. that if it does not happen to you or with you, it does not mean it does not exist on this planet somewhere else with someone else. . . But the pesron who posted his topic on the DAGOC I totally agree with 100% and this applies to many other places, but DAGOC is different since it is only till the end of the games .. .
The problem is when you do not have to beg anyone, since I kept my respect to myself, but it is different when they offer, talk and bully talk and ask you to come, get interviewed, take exams and do well on them, then who cares as if the decision was already made and you feel such measures take place just to make things look professional . . . they can save money and headache to people and simply shut down their HR departments since that is just the case!
For the prices of houses. . it reflect nothing but greed and selfishness and lack of discipline and morals . .. and the problem many of those who owns the property, they never miss a prayer and express in their circles their sympathy to the suffering Palestinians and Lebanese . . .. .
The same applies to those giving lessons on democracy and human rights, accountability and fairness and they practice their beauracracy as well but in a different way ... how?
Arabs have "inshalla" and serving coffee and tea to show at least the hospitality. They[the non-Arabs] do not have "inshalla" and if it is from their pocket, who cares about the coffee and tea. "You serve yourself!"
At the end, there is nothing better than Tango! it does pay a way or another !! LOL !
anyway .. . . i will be short since it is my first post . . . but i like the comments and openness in this forum . . . .
cheeers to all . ...
As an aside, how often does QP "review" its allowance paid for accommodation? Is this done annual or only when sufficient ex-pats windge? Only asking.
QP tend to do leave things like this until it's critical. Pay scales, housing allowance etc. There was a time when housing was provided for all except SLS (Service Level Staff) although the option of taking a housing allowance was also available. Electricity and water were also provided free to SS. The free E&W was discontinued when the oil price dropped in 1986. Needless to say it never returned when the oil price rose again. Otherterms and conditions were also significantly reduced in 1986.
In 1996/7 the "powers that be" decided that only housing allowances would be paid. This in fact pleased many "mainly asian" staff who were prepared to lower their housing standards and subsequently bank the difference between allowance and rent.
The folly of this decision has continued to cause grief in QP and will continue to do so until they again provide housing or alternatively decide to share their recent increased wealth with those who earn it for them.
This is a personal view only.
hi japie, when we just arrived 5 yrs ago hubby getting 6.500 QR for houseing allowance. At that time with that money we can afford to live in Beverly Hills. And now we have 1 increament become 9.700 QR. With that money we still can't afford to live in independent villa.
We are considering leaving if nothing getting better in housing allowance.
What scorpio has to say makes extremely interesting reading for a wannabe ex-pat heading to Qatar. How true do others find this?
Sonething that I have noticed time and time again in this Forum is the reference to rentals in Doha. It seems as though they just keep going up and up with no let up in sight. Obviously one will just have to wait and see what affect - if any - the Asian Games will make.
As an aside, how often does QP "review" its allowance paid for accommodation? Is this done annual or only when sufficient ex-pats windge? Only asking.