Teacher salary: 7324 enough?

7,324 what?

7324KD........A month???????? you might want ot hold out for more......BAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

if it 7324KD a month....sounds like a very generous sum

is that accommodation provided for? if not it sounds like housing allowance is included in that.

im not sure what it is like in Kuwait (moving there in sept) but in Qatar your salary is based on your level of teaching experience so every year you get a pay rise cz you have one more year experience. it seems alot for a newly qualified teacher - i would take it

Ally

Is this yearly? :p

We still waiting for the answer - although it does mention from the 1st post its for the month...

I have been offered a job paying 7324 a month.

So we will wait to hear from the originator 
RMDee ? we are in suspense... let us know

so sorry....wrote the first post too late at night here, up late hemming and hawing over my decisions.

It's 7324 A YEAR!

In one month that would be more $ than I would ever need

I have another offer from China--in the countryside- details vague, have interviewed in Vietnam- Hanoi--am supposed to hear back soon- and have an interview w/Dubai tonight....so many choices--all so very different and it's getting late in the recruiting season.

I don't need an extravagant lifestyle, but would like to be able to go out to eat, see movies, save a little...maybe take a trip over winter break- want to make the right choice

Good to hear from you RMDee - at last our suspense is over. So you wont be as rich as we all thought.. At least you put some humour on this thread

Okay, on a serious note, its good that you're getting other interviews. This will no doubt open up your options. So the logical thing to do, is gather the offers you've got, then decide whats best for you. It may be the offer in terms of financial gain or the job itself that's on offer or even maybe even the country of preference you want to work in. Either way, the choice will be yours and hope what ever decision you make, you will enjoy your work and new place.

Best of luck
Jaz

offer is about 610 per month....doesn't seem like a great offer--- any more responses now that people know I am talking about one month?

RMDEE,

This is a way too low for Kuwait. Translates into 600 kd/month. I am employed by a University here which pays several times more.

To give an idea of living costs:
Apartment:  KD 250/month, single-bedroom fully furnished
Food: Comparable to the US generally
Gasoline: sweet spot for Kuwait - USD 0.2 per liter 

Thanks Maxrika-- sounded too low for Kuwait----I appreciate the response...I think I just got into the market really late this year and am getting a bit of the bottom of the barrel

If you had a choice between Dubai and Kuwait.. with the same salary, go for Dubai. Is the offer in an International school? As far as I know, International Schools pay twice that much, EXCLUDING flights and an extra housing allowance/free accomodation on top of that.

Generally, the teachers I know here are being paid anywhere from 700 -1000 kd per month net salary plus accommodation and transportation to the school and back each day. Plus they should fly you out and back home at the end of the school year.

they are also single, have no debt and are able to save and travel. if you are married, have obligations then no, it is not enough money.

food will easily cost you 200 KD a month at a grocery store so that you can cook your own meals. 

Taxis to get around if you do not buy or rent a vehicle will cost you about 100 KD a month.

Public transport is horrible here-- even though it's cheap -- 300 Fils a ride, it is really a scary adventure every time guaranteed. 

If you have other options such as Asia-- I would totally recommend that you work there instead.

It's not low for Kuwait unless you have 5 kids to take care of. You can save most of it, just pay the rent and you'll be more than fine. You can save about 150 kd  a month i think.

Hi there,

I've been offered a university teaching position (rank of Assistant Professor) in Kuwait and am having trouble finding reliable data on what the salary range is. Can anyone assist? I know the exact amount will depend on the usual factors, but some sort of range would be really helpful.

Also, is it normal for universities there to pay only the employee's annual air tickets (and not their dependants)?

Finally, re cost of living, what's a family of 4 likely to spend per month on standard groceries (just a ball park figure if you can - I realise everyone is different but just trying to do some rough figures).

Thanks.

I met a professor from Kuwait University from Australia and he mentioned his dependants (wife and 2 kids) were offered return tickets once a year.
In addition to salary which I have no idea (sorry), if each child were to come to Kuwait  then school fees would be paid in a private school( fees are easily thousands of KDs) and about 100 KD per child per month for food to help with expenses.  Small extra incentives-- although his children will not relocate nor will his wife.
He also received a cash advance loan of 1 month salary when he arrived to help him settle down-- the instructors at the American University here also get that.
He was given  I believe around 900 KD per month allowance on housing for rent and so if he rented for less, he could keep the cash.
So really, it depends on the University you are teaching for here-- seems like Kuwait Uni and American University of Kuwait are nice places to work. Don't know about the rest.
To give you an idea about cost of living for a Western family of 4 who do want to live a moderately high-level lifestyle -- I would say:
800 KD per month for rent
400-500 KD per month for food (buying groceries) and household,etc
60 KD per month for part-time maid
130 KD per month for family membership in a gym with nice pool and beach
60 KD for gas per month and no more! Petrol is obviously super cheap here.
30 KD for family of 4 to go out and eat a meal at a mid-price restaurant
11-13 KD per person at a 5 star hotel for lunch buffet
5-8KD per person at a 5 star hotel for breakfast buffet
Hope this gives you a better idea!

Hi there shisha777, thanks for your post. That's really detailed and pretty interesting. Food for thought. The rent you mentioned is quite a bit higher than I had imagined. I was thinking that we might rent an apartment in the region of 400-500 per month. I've had a look at a few websites and it seems that there are some reasonable apartments around for that price. I guess your figure is for a villa? Or a higher-end apartment?  The university I'm dealing with has offered 400 per month as a housing allowance. I thought that was ok - but it's interesting to read that your contact had 900. Quite a big difference.

I noticed that you didn't mention the cost of a car - do expats generally buy/lease or rent a car, what do you think? I saw in the Eek! magazine that there are many cars for sale so I guess a lot of people buy - but then there is the inevitable hassle of having to sell quickly at the end of the contract. The university that I received an offer from did not offer a transport allowance per se.


I noticed that an earlier poster, Maxrika, said he's employed by a university. I hope he reads these latest posts and writes about his experience. I've read a lot of posts on salary on this forum and elsewhere - it seems to be a very popular topic - but first-hand experience is always hard to find.

Thanks again for taking the time to break down the costs.

Yup, the rent I mentioned should cover the cost of a luxury apartment in the Salmiya, Sharq areas.  It would also cover the cost of a villa in a place like Fintas which is about a 30 minute driving distance from Salmiya.Depending on the industry, many expats get a company car to drive and if not -- they can easily buy 2nd hand through other expats.  Kuwait is full of transient expats-- one minute they're here and then next, they're off-- either voluntarily or involuntarily! Cars are not difficult to sell quickly.

Kiwi,

Sent u a PM on this. Feel free to ask if any more questions.

As for the living costs estimates posted above - they look very much on excessive side from my perspective. But hey, everybody's standards are different. Some would only have caviar and champaigne for the breakfast while others will be happy with eggs and ham.

BTW: keep in mind that the apartment rents quoted here include power, water, TV, internet and all the other utility bills one can think of.  These are subsidized by the government and it's a general practice here to include them into the monthly rental.

If you have enough experience  to boot possibly around 6 years and up along with a Masters Degree, that offer is obviously low. But if you only have a Bachelor's Degree and like less than 3 years of working experience, then that seemed like a good offer. Also if the offer doesn't include living accommodation, yearly ticket, phone bill, sometimes transportation allowance or car then you have to think twice. Just saying...

Hi there!

I am a Marketing and HR practitioner for more than 5 years, however, I would like to pursue teaching because that is really one of the things that I love doing.

I have been offered by an IT institution a 203KWD a month and to  teach in their University, including accommodation, visa and ticket.  I just want to know if the said income will be sufficient for my savings and expenses?

Is this income acceptable? 

Please help me to decide.

Thank you!

No, definitely not!

No university would be offering this sum for someone to teach. It is not enough to live on - for sure! And if it includes the housing allowance, then it's completely crazy. When I tried to find an apartment in Salmiya they were all in the 400-500 KWD per month area (fully-furnished, 2 bedroom).

Are you sure its not a typo - i.e.. is there a zero missing off that monthly salary? If you add a zero, it's acceptable. If not, don't even think about it.

Hello - I'm looking at moving to Kuwait by getting a teaching job through Randstad. Apparently the average salaries are $655-900 through them. This includes accommodation, utilities, rtn flight home annually and transport to and from school. What do you think? Are there any other companies you would recommend I apply through?
Thanks

Hi there,  One year in Kuwait is enough because the pay is very too low compared with the rest of the Gulf and the cost of living in Kuwait. Kuwaits are cheap. There isn't much to do. You need to travel on your breaks. Try and get only a one year contract. It is fine for one year, but it is more third world dirty than the photos show. 

I worked at the American School Kuwait in Hawaili for one year. I was paid 620KD (about $25,000 US at that time) a month back in 2004/5. The employer assured me that was a great wage for there and I would save money because it's tax free. Not so. Although I was provided free housing (nice apartment overlooking Gulf), free utilities, free transport to and from school, free flights, medical and kids went to the private school for free, if you had them, the KD didn't go far. I was not able to save anything in that year on 620KD and really watched my pennies, which was not a good feeling. Fortunately, I had saved a few thousand before I went and so I used that to travel a bit, since I wanted to visit Dubai and Oman while I was in the region, which I did do on a shoestring. I went to Oman on my dime and it was lovely.  I did go to a few other places to conferences or by invitation of people in the region I met and just paid for a flight or two, but I only paid fully the Omani trip. I could not have afforded another personal resort trip on those wages.I don't know what the cost of living is now in Kuwait, but I found it very expensive to eat out and there is not much to do there. Go to Falaka island for the boat trip from Kuwait city.
Traffic on the main roads is often at a deadlock, crazy and busy near the Gulf and around Salmaya.  I did pay to rent a car, but can't remember the cost, but the cost of up keep for a car there is cheap and gas is cheap (I recommend you rent a car or you will be bored out of your tree. I had three vendor benders in one year there due to the way the people drive there. I have had none before that).
So Kuwait is not the place to go and save money. Go for the experience. I would want to have my accommodation included, because you don't know what you are getting and there is some pretty bad places in Kuwait.  Half of the fun is living with your colleagues I think, so you will want to have that affiliation. I think that Kuwait wages are behind the rest of the Gulf and when I was there back in 2004, I could have done with another 300 Kd a month to have relaxed and done more, like what you can do in other economies. And to save, you'd need more than that.
Does anyone know if you can negotiate your salaries at the schools?

Kiwi2Kuwait wrote:

Hi there shisha777, thanks for your post. That's really detailed and pretty interesting. Food for thought. The rent you mentioned is quite a bit higher than I had imagined. I was thinking that we might rent an apartment in the region of 400-500 per month. I've had a look at a few websites and it seems that there are some reasonable apartments around for that price. I guess your figure is for a villa? Or a higher-end apartment?  The university I'm dealing with has offered 400 per month as a housing allowance. I thought that was ok - but it's interesting to read that your contact had 900. Quite a big difference.

I noticed that you didn't mention the cost of a car - do expats generally buy/lease or rent a car, what do you think? I saw in the Eek! magazine that there are many cars for sale so I guess a lot of people buy - but then there is the inevitable hassle of having to sell quickly at the end of the contract. The university that I received an offer from did not offer a transport allowance per se.


I noticed that an earlier poster, Maxrika, said he's employed by a university. I hope he reads these latest posts and writes about his experience. I've read a lot of posts on salary on this forum and elsewhere - it seems to be a very popular topic - but first-hand experience is always hard to find.

Thanks again for taking the time to break down the costs.

No, 203KWD per month is not enough. Is it an accredited school?

When I went there, the schools in 2004 were paying 600KWD a month to a teacher with the same package  you have been offered.  Can you negotiate?
I don't know your country of origin, but Kuwait discriminates according to where you were born. People in the west get paid much more than those born in other countries. Where are you from?

newby wrote:

Hi there!

I am a Marketing and HR practitioner for more than 5 years, however, I would like to pursue teaching because that is really one of the things that I love doing.

I have been offered by an IT institution a 203KWD a month and to  teach in their University, including accommodation, visa and ticket.  I just want to know if the said income will be sufficient for my savings and expenses?

Is this income acceptable? 

Please help me to decide.

Thank you!

Hi,
I have just been offered a teaching job in a school in Fahaheel.
They offered my 1100 KWD
Do you think are enough in order to save?
Accommodation, utilities and transportation is provided.
Thanks!!

I think that is a pretty good salary for a school teacher here and since accommodation is included it will allow savings. However, if you have children that need their tuition paid, that will affect the overall picture significantly.

I am not a school teacher myself but I read the posts here from time to time and it's my impression that most school teachers earn a bit less than your offer - although the overall package is probably best to be taken into account.

Perhaps some school teachers will reply and disclose more information of assistance to you. But as far as I know, if you are single, I would imagine that you could make a good saving each month. Since accommodation and transport are provided, I would give a rough guess that about 2/3 of your salary would be saved each month since your only other expenses will be food and normal add ons such as internet access etc.

Someone else will no doubt know more and hopefully they will correct me if I'm wrong.

yes, it is enough to save.

hi Lambrias, are you Cypriot? and what school are you going to in Fahaheel?  I am moving in August to the IBS school in Fahaheel.  I am Scottish but my home is in Paphos.

yamas

bill

Hi , I'm a teacher also , this amount is a bit less than the range in international schools here , it would be enough for u though to live in Kuwait  if they provide u with housing and transportation , my advise for u if u don't have a better offer anywhere else u can try this school for a year and , apply for other schools and for sure u will get more than that !
Best of luck !

Hi piperpeter !   if u r talking about ASK ! It's not that bad and they r paying much more now I work there  !

lambrias,

11,000 KD per year is almost exactly what I've been offered, and I think it's good. I've been told I'll be able to save a lot on that salary living by myself.

Tom

Thank your for your replies.

Bill, yes I am Cypriot. I have an offer to work in ESF.

I heard the accommodation sucks.

Tom, which school are you going?

Maraf, thanks for your answer.

Does anyone have any info about the quality of life there?

My email is [email protected] if anyone wants to contact me.

Thanks!

Andy

Andy,

I'll be teaching at Al-Bayan Bilingual School. (I teach high school English--been teaching 8 years in the USA). How about you?

I'm trying to track down opportunities to do some local sailing and swimming--don't really know if swimming at the beaches is advisable.

Tom

Hey Tom,

I am a secondary school Physics Teacher.

Don't know a lot of information but I assume that you can find everything as long as you look for them

A.

Regarding lambrias' question...on sailing and swimming...I don't know if it's normal to swim at Kuwaiti beaches due to the level of pollution. I have only been here a year (a bit less than that actually since I arrived in Sept 2012) but I have yet to see someone swimming in the sea. Perhaps others can comment?

What I can say is that a colleague at the university where I work (I am a law lecturer) is a Kuwaiti citizen and a budding triathlete. He was told by fellow triathletes not to swim in the sea but he was training for a race so he went for a sea swim the week before an event in Abu Dhabi. He ended up the next day with a nasty eye infection. I don't think he's planning on doing it again.

If anyone out there knows a safe place to go swimming at the beach in Kuwait please advise.

I'd have to say that you ought to be very cautious. We stopped our car for a break beside the sea near the suburb of Doha once, on the Jahra road, thinking it might be nice to eat beside the seaside as we do in NZ. However, the smell of sewage was overwhelming. We couldn't finish eating outside the car. I am thinking that perhaps it might be dumped into the sea somewhere along the coast  - it certainly smelt like that.

As for sailing...I saw this email address in the weekly free e-mag for expats (called EEK). Try this email Mail us on [email protected] for more info on sailing opportunities.

If you want to subscribe to EEK, email here: [email protected]. It has lots of information about living in Kuwait.

In summary, if you like malls this is going to be a fun and interesting place for you. Outdoor life is much more limited than indoor life. Coming from New Zealand I have found that aspect of Kuwait a bit difficult to adjust to.