800$ per month in Erbil, enough?

Hello sanazi.
Welcome to Expat.com!

A new thread has been created on the Iraq forum for more visibility.

I hope other members will be able to advise you.

Thank you,
Aurélie

Hi Aurelie,
Thanks for your reply. are u based in erbil?

Hello sanazi.

No, I am from Mauritius Island!

Aurélie

Hi Sanazi,

I don't think that 800USD is enough.

A Secretary who knows English and Kurdish has Salary of 800-1200 USD
Engineer Local 1000-2500 USD
Engineer Manager 2500USD-5000 USD
Office Manager 1000 USD and more.

I know people from Bangladesh working in Fast Fast Food rest. for 350-600 USD
Mostly Accomodations and service fees are paid by Companies for expats.
You should ask for some more I guess. But some people can live and save 300-500 USD with 800USD. But the life style will be not a manager style.

Lujni

I agree with Lujni

Hi Lujni,

Many thanks for the useful information. So according you guys I should not accept the this package.

how much is needed monthly to have a normal life? By Normal, I mean to eat out sometimes or having fun at weekends plus shopping.

Thanks for your help guys!

Cheers!

I live with my family. We are total 4 person and monthly cost is between 1000-1500USD.
I have company car, All electricity fee, servce fee etc paid by compnay.
If you go out for dinner 10USD for fast food, 20-25USD for restaurant, 50 USD at 5 star Hotel.
To take a taxi is 3-4 USD in the city.
Monthly fee at Sports Center is about 150 USD
A new car is about 12.000-18.000USD (Kia, Hyundai) if its SUV 24.000USD-28.000 USD. Toyota, Mitsubishi, BMW etc. much expensive.
If you stay in the Hotel, eat in the Hotel where you work, you can save lots of these expenses. Lets say you go once a week out on your off days, you may spend 50 USD which makes 200 USD. You may have about 200USD cost for other expenses during the month. Plus 100 for unexpexted expenses. Total 500 USD.
If you come to a 5 star Hotel as Sales Manager you should ask at least for 2000 USD and more.  I saw people who worked for 3 stars for 800USD. But they were not professional sales people. They were everything of the Hotel. He was receptionist, Sales Person, Customer Relations. He was form Iran and spoke Kurdish, Arabic and Farsi and no English.
I can advise you to do a visit to Erbil, check the life, see some Hotels, see exactly what kind of work the Hotel is asking for and then decide for it. The job could be a step for your future in Erbil. There are many big Hotels in construction. They all will need professionals which is very hard to find. If you have the experience they might pay you what you want.

Good Luck.

Lujni

It´s hard to believe that they would even be offering much less than $1200-1400 for this position.

Dear Lujni,

many thanks for thorough information you gave me. Now I'm sure I shouldn't accept the package. It was a 4* hotel anyways.

I'm also planing to visit Erbil to figure out how it's going there.since I'm working in here, would be easier for me to take a leave in the 1st or 2nd week of Ramadan. Has anyone ever been in Erbil during Ramadan? Are they strict?

and at last, where you guys suggest me to stay when I go to Erbil?

thanks for the comment Thiscatsabroad!

Dear Sanazi,

Mostly many shops and restaurants are closed at Ramadan, but Malls are open and they don't care if you eat there smth.
Ainkawa is also convienient as Christian population is living there.
To choose somewhere to stay depends on the budget. You can find rooms starting from 50USD to 500 USD. I would advise to find a Hotel for one night and then  look for the one you most like to stay.
There are small city Hotels which are not the Best near the Citadel for 50-60 USD. But I know a Hotel they charge us 65USD when our technicians are staying there. Its on 60 meter street and name is Malito. Regular price is 75USD. Also there is a German restaurant in Ainkawa, I know they have two Houses with some rooms for rent like Hotel, charging 30-50 USD but not convenient like a Hotel and not very clean. IF you go around you will see many Hotels in Ainkawa which are new, clean but don't now prices of them. Lamassu Hotel 4 star on Main Road Ainkawa is about 170-200 USD. Noble Hotel next to Lamassu is 210 USD 5 star. Divan and Rotana Luxury 5 stars are starting form 300 USD.

good luck

Lujni

Yep, most expats choose to live in Ankawa due to the western lifestyle of it's people. There are many hotels opening in Ankawa nowadays (I know because I'm designing their websites) and I'd say price per night is about ~$120, maybe it's because of the current season when so many Iraqis from outside Kurdistan Region choose to spend their summer here. Good luck OP.

Hi Lujni,

thank you so very much for all the information. you helped me a lot indeed!
I already said no to the job offer with monthly salary of 800$

Hi MarkW3,

thanks for your comment. I'll try to find a nice hotel in Ankawa

what hotel is this? depends on what you are looking for but I guess it is too little..erbil is expensive

Hi Sanazi,

If you're going to stay in Ainkawa, there's a fairly decent hotel I stayed at for a while, they charged me 70 usd per night (rack rate is 80), it is new quiet and clean with a great wifi connection, it is called Al Hadeer, also another good one centrally located in Ainkawa is Beauty Van which is approx. the same rate +/- 5 usd...

Hope this helps

Dear Sanzi,

It depends on the way you spends. However you have mentioned your position as Marketing Manager. Salary is low as per the position.

[Moderated: Please post in Jobs in Iraq section]

If you have a college degree and you are coming from an english speaking country, you can make twice or three times that otherwise, yes that is pretty decent if you dont fit that profile

$ 800 is not enough
look for another job hopefully u ll get a better one..
Good luck

Hi , Sanzi ,
could you Please send me your CV ?

Dear all,

Thanks for your comments and sorry for my late reply.

I already disapproved the contract based on 800$ coz everyone said it's very low as per my position and university degree.

Once again thanks guys!

@ Traveller707

May I ask for what kind of job you are asking for my CV?

dont go, i was there and erbil is very expensive, if they give u 2000 dollars + accomodation and transportation , then accept

My self salim, currently i am working in Riyadh KSA, now i have job opportunity  in Iraq- Ebril so please kindly can you tell me some information  about ebrill:

1-How is city for expats: this place is safe,
2-about food if we cook at home around how much expense:
3-about phone calls India and local its cheap or costly:
4-about medical if we don't have medical from company so its costly around how much.
5-they are paying me 1350 USD for Restaurant Manager  with accommodation/transportation.
food will be on my cost/medical will be on my cost.

so what do you thing how much we can save from this salary

please i need your feedback as soon as.

Regards,
Salim

[Moderated: Please communicate by PM]

(Moderated)

Hi Sanazi,
Did u find a job or not yet , ?

No I would not take the offer and you should not take less than 2000 a month with housing there are more professional hotels in Erbil.

Hi salim,
$1350 is not good as a salary in Erbil. You should atleast get more than 2000USD. Then only accept. You have to take all other expenses by your own. then salary should be more than they have offered.

George

Dear Sanai,

Do you find a job yet.

I am the owner of a new Chocolate Company from Belgium.

We are going to open 20 retail shop in Kurdistan, Turkey, Bagdad and Kuwait.

We are looking for good honest and smart ladies that can manage the shops and handle sales to both companies and to persons.

If interested let me know....

Regards....Tino

Hi Natalia,

Pls check ur inbox. Tks

Dear Sanazi,

My name is Reza, same origin as yours, and I'm a Relocation Manager here in Erbil.

We too, have a vacant position in our group and are looking to hire someone for the purpose of "Marketing & Business Development".

If it is of any interest to you and you think your profile could match, I would preferably be in contact with you via your private email address, exchange the job description with CV, and possibly enter into negotiations.

Looking forward to receiving your news, wish you an excellent day
Reza

Hi Reza Ahmadian,

Please post this ad in the Marketing, PR and advertising jobs in Iraq section.

Thank you,

Priscilla
Expat.com team

Hi Priscille,

I've already posted ads several times but never got any reply. I'm asking myself whether people notice them.

Sorry for that, I'll comply with rules

Best regards
Reza

Hi salim

I shall also be moving to erbil....can we get in touch...can u tell weather 3000 usd is sufficient without accomodation and staying with family

You are from Iran i see yes ? It is not only the salary , it should show your motivation to. Mostly that is the biggest lack that people come only for salary talks and not show any willing first.

Dear Raza,

I have MBA degree from I did and looking for a job in Iraq..

Can you please provide me more details like email I'd n contact number so that I can contact for more details..

Thanks,
Chander

Hi Chander > this topic is a bit old. If you are looking for a job, you may post an advert in the jobs in Iraq section. It might help.

Thank you,
Christine

Considering you will not have a social life here no it is not enough money.

To be a "good woman" here if you are working with locals you must stay home and wait for marriage. I would not come here as a single woman. I am here as a single woman by the way.
Why not try some other Gulf country like Oman or Dubai where there are more expats and the lifestyle is not so conservative?

If you are making $800 and you sit at home and don't spend much money, say maybe $100 a month on haircut, dye, pedicure, and manicure, and taxi to get to salon then you can save the rest. You could buy second hand clothing at Langa for about $4USD per item. So you can live cheaply here.

But if you want to go out and enjoy a drink and dinner in a place that has expats that will cost around $35USD and up. You could not easily go to a local place because women are encouraged to eat in the woman's section with their husbands.

There is not much to do here and for safety you will need to do things with other women.