Planning to shift to Muscat - is RO 1080 enough for family of 4?

Dear All,

My self Sameer. Currently staying in Maharashtra.
Recently got the offer from one company at Muscat. So just wanted to understand how much expensive Muscat compare to Mumbai.
Company located in Al khuwair.
Company is offering RO1080 per month. which includes HRA(RO230) & other facilities. Company is not offering House and  Car. But they are giving HRA and CAR petrol in the above mentioned package.
Requesting you to kindly guide,
is it a good deal to shift to Muscat with my wife and  2 kids(6yr old+ 2 Month old) in this package?
How much monthly major expenses is need to count? like Electricity, water, Building maintanance etc.
On other site found @150RO fees for Indian Schools? but this is for Yearly, Half yearly or for Month?
Shall I get good House(atleast 1BHK- Non Sharing) in 180 - 230RO?
Which part of Muscat is good to stay from Children point- like schools, Gardens etc.?

Hi sameerdongre7879,

The salary offered is okay for a small family like yours. It's not a very good deal, but is manageable.

If your office is in Al Khuwair, you must try and find a house as close as possible to your work spot. You can get a 1 BHK apartment for around R.O. 250/- to R.O. 350/- in Al Khuwair.

For your child's school, the closest would be Indian School Al Ghubra. Getting admissions there is quite a challenge. So better start now itself. Visit their website and register your child's details first. Monthly tuition fee would be about R.O. 60/-.

Average utility costs would be in the region of about R.O. 20/- per month for Electricity and about half of that for water. Read the Cost of Living topic in the forum for further information and details.

Thanks. Sumitran for valuable responce.

In the mentioned package, company is ready to provide RO700 for House Appliances & for other Furniture. Is this ok. or i will need to add some in that to buy the things.

HI
Its lovely place. I just came from Pune. Donot worry to much.
Regards
Sachin Nikam
***

Moderated by Priscilla 8 years ago
Reason : Do not post your personal contact details on a public forum for your own security

Thanks Sachin for your valuable input.

Hi All,
Just wanted to know, what is the procedure to renew the passport in Oman. My passport renew date is March 12 2016. The company (where you work) will do all the necessary processes? or company give us a passport & we suppose to do in OMAN or in India?

passport can be renewed from indian embassy here in oman. but i think before issuance of visa teh requirement is of atleast 6 months from passport expiration date.

so if you at india , first get your passport renewed

hi dear you are getting very good salary, i am also belong to Pune (Maharashtra), and i am been here form last one year. oman is country where you can save much money compare to other countries. you can easily save about 600 RO.  indian rs more the 1,00,000/-.

Thanks Vishal555 for your input.
Just wanted to know, as per your reply
In RO 400 is it possible to stay comfortably with family of 4 in Muscat?
Because as  I am getting the offer salary(RO 1080)... the major expenses would be...
1. School fees for one child?
2. Purchase of second hand / new car?
3. House rent(non Sharing) including Electricity, Wifi, water and other house hold expenses?
4. what is general family expenses per month normally consider glossary, local travelling( local mall visit, School drop & pick up etc.)?
5. Every Friday & Saturday is weekly off in Muscat? for schools also?
6. how much climate will affect the small children? (compare to Mumbai / Pune Climate)

Requesting all please reply, it will help me to finalised my decision....

sameerdongre7879 wrote:

Thanks. Sumitran for valuable responce.

In the mentioned package, company is ready to provide RO700 for House Appliances & for other Furniture. Is this ok. or i will need to add some in that to buy the things.


Hi sameerdongre7879,

I seem to have missed this post by you ...

R.O. 700/- may not really be enough to set-up your house, with white goods, hard and soft furnishings. You may need a minimum of R.O. 1,500/-. But then if you choose to go for cheaper goods and furniture, you may be able to close it around that figure.

sameerdongre7879 wrote:

Thanks Vishal555 for your input.
Just wanted to know, as per your reply
In RO 400 is it possible to stay comfortably with family of 4 in Muscat?
Because as  I am getting the offer salary(RO 1080)... the major expenses would be...
1. School fees for one child?
2. Purchase of second hand / new car?
3. House rent(non Sharing) including Electricity, Wifi, water and other house hold expenses?
4. what is general family expenses per month normally consider glossary, local travelling( local mall visit, School drop & pick up etc.)?
5. Every Friday & Saturday is weekly off in Muscat? for schools also?
6. how much climate will affect the small children? (compare to Mumbai / Pune Climate)

Requesting all please reply, it will help me to finalised my decision....


Hi sameerdongre7879,

I guess your expense calculations are not entirely accurate.

House rent alone for a 1BHK would be about R.O. 300/-. If you go for a smaller / older building, then the rent could be say about maximum 50 - 75 rials lesser.

For a second-hand / new car you would have to spend a monthly amount of at least about R.O. 100/- on EMIs.

Monthly tuition fee in Indian School would be about R.O. 60/- per month. Add another R.O. 30/- per month for transportation on the top side. Minimum wold be R.O. 15/- if your place of stay is near the school.

Minimum unlimited internet download costs R.O. 25/- per month.

Electricity and Water would cost you about R.O. 25/- per month.

Monthly grocery cost for a small family would cost in the region of about R.O. 150/- per month.

Pretty much the entire country would shut down for the weekend - Friday and Saturday - except shops which would be operational.

Till late March the climate would be very pleasant. Come April the summer would start and it wold peak in June-July when the temperatures would be in the high 40s.

The expenses mentioned above are for you to get an indicative idea only.

There are many who survive on half of this amount, and there are also many whose weekly expense are more than the monthly amount quoted here. So it all depends on how much or how little you want to spend.

If you still have not read through the numerous other posts on the same subject here, I would urge you to first read those useful and informative posts. It would profit you that much more.

Thanks Sumitran for your valuable feedback.  :top: being after seen the expat, found you consistently provide support and valuable solutions to all people who looking for shift to Muscat.

Sorry to ask for so many questions, as I am the first person from my family who decided to go out of India for work, and shifting with family.
So as you understand, with the family and as a leading person decided to shift to anywhere in the world, every one ask so many questions(specially relatives) and its very hard to reply every one with confidence!!. :(
because every one comes with different assumption and thinking...

As per your last to last replay discuss with company for salary revision and they are ready to pay ouRO1200(against first quote RO1080) per month. so due to that I hope little smile on my face at the end of the month.
I hope it will help to stay little comfortable now as they rise RO120 per month.
As i am not currently thinking about savings, because I know first need time to settle down  which will take approx 3-6 month (for complete Family) and then after possible to start some savings.
also another just wanted to know how much normally OMR to INr change rate will fluctuate. Because  I regularly checking and found from March 2015(@ 168 per RO) which is currently (@173 per RO).
So how much it will go down in worst case- 160 / 150 or less than that?

Hi sameerdongre7879,

The INR vs OMR conversion rate is dependent on many fiscal policies of a global nature.

The currency rates fluctuates depending on the oil price movements, socio-political developments,  and numerous other factors.

And the biggest deal is, it is not predictable with any amount of certainty.

Even experts would agree that currency conversions are globally very unpredictable.

The good news is usually INR does not go down. Even if it does, it would only be marginally.

Thank you Sumitran  :top:

below is the answer for your questions

1. School fees for one child: 35 RO per month (excluding transport, transport monthly 20 RO)
2. Purchase of second hand / new car: Second hand car starting from 700 RO (NEW 7000 RO)
3. House rent(non Sharing) including Electricity, Wifi, water and other house hold expenses: 1 bhk 220 RO
4. what is general family expenses per month normally consider glossary, local travelling( local mall visit, School drop & pick up etc.: Grocery 100 RO, other 50 RO, patrol price 0.120 Baiza (20 RS/Per ltr)
5. Every Friday & Saturday is weekly off in Muscat? for schools also : yes
6. how much climate will affect the small children? (compare to Mumbai / Pune Climate): Climate is very hot during april to oct (40-50 degree). and nov to mar is little good like India (25-35 degree)

Thanks Vishal555 for valuable input.