The Seasoned Expat continued……

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Xpatulator
While you are preparing to make your move, find an expatriate website or bloggers that you can communicate with and help answer your questions about life in the new country and city.  These are essential support systems that you may find can help you to settle in when you arrive.  Many new expats find that they become good friends with some of the bloggers they come in contact with before arriving in the country.

 

You may also want to consider finding an expatriate company that can offer to assist you on your arrival, these companies will help you to find schools, accommodation, medical and health facilities, and give you a general idea of the layout of the land.  Many of these companies will facilitate you in obtaining Work Permits, Driver’s Licenses, Medical Cards, School applications, Spousal Work Applications, etc.  The more questions you ask and requirements you find, the more they can help you.  Certain companies offer this as a benefit, and it is worthwhile asking your new company to provide this for you.
We should have asked the following questions:
What extra benefits does the company provide, over and above the contract?
What paperwork should you bring with for official requirements?
Do you need work permits, visas, etc and what paperwork will the family require?
What can you bring into the country, e.g. you would not be allowed to bring alcohol and pork into a Muslim country, or certain foodstuffs or animals into e.g. Australia or the USA.
Accommodation and School
What accommodation is available?
Will the company provide accommodation?
If the company does provide accommodation, can we decide to choose our own instead?
What are the better areas to live in?
What are the rentals in these areas?
How far is work and school from the accommodation?
Which are the best International Schools?
What programs do the schools offer?
What will education cost?
What after school activities are there and does the school provide these?
When are the schools holidays and how long are they?
Does the company have any agreements with any of the schools for their employees?
What are the universities like and can the children go to these?
Transport
What is the transport system like in the country, are their buses, trains, trams, etc that you can use to get to and from work and school?
If not is there a transport / car benefit?
Does the company help provide transport to and from work?
Do you require an international driver’s license, or will you have to take a driving test?  How does this work?
Entertainment
What is there to do on a weekend?
What social and sport groups can you belong to?
Is there satellite television, and how much will it cost?
Hired Help
Is there hired help, e.g. house maids, gardeners, etc?
How much will it cost to have help at home?
How easy is it to hire help and what are the processes you need to follow?
Work
How easy will it be for your partner to obtain work?
What recruitment agencies are there or websites can be used in the country to obtain work?
What will work provide
Will work help you to open a bank account or will you have to do this on your own, what is required?
Will work provide local medical aid, international medical aid, or managed health care?
How will this system work and what medical benefits are covered?
Will work provide life or other insurance cover?
Will work pay for education for the children and up until what age?
Will the company pay for the accommodation, water, electricity, rates, etc?
Will the accommodation be furnished or unfurnished?
Will work provide a furnishing benefit or loan?
Will the company pay for furniture to be brought over from your home country and if so how much?
Will the company provide a car allowance?
Will the company pay for tickets home once a year?
What is the cost of an air ticket back home?
How many days holiday will you get a year?
Other
When is the best time to actually come over to start the assignment, e.g. starting work during the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere can be frustrating as many people take leave and you are left as the new person at work who needs guidance but there is no one around to provide this.  Also the children may find that there is no one to play with as everyone has gone away.
Will you be able to afford the move, will your salary cover the costs that you will incur in the new country?
Will your standard of living be the same as the country you have moved from?
The expats you make contact with before you leave will have the knowledge and experience of the country and will be able to answer most of the above questions. It is good to make sure you are happy with your intended move, company benefits, cost of living and new country.
Denise is an Expat, Mom, Wife and Marketing Manager at  http://www.xpatulator.com/ a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn in a different location to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences. The complete cost of living rank for all 300 locations for all 13 baskets is available here.
Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, expat, Expat attitudes, expat children, expat kids, Expat schooling, expatriate, expatriate engagement, Expatriate Hardship | Comments Off on The Seasoned Expat continued……

The Seasoned Expat continued……

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Xpatulator
While you are preparing to make your move, find an expatriate website or bloggers that you can communicate with and help answer your questions about life in the new country and city.  These are essential support systems that you may find can help you to settle in when you arrive.  Many new expats find that they become good friends with some of the bloggers they come in contact with before arriving in the country.

 

You may also want to consider finding an expatriate company that can offer to assist you on your arrival, these companies will help you to find schools, accommodation, medical and health facilities, and give you a general idea of the layout of the land.  Many of these companies will facilitate you in obtaining Work Permits, Driver’s Licenses, Medical Cards, School applications, Spousal Work Applications, etc.  The more questions you ask and requirements you find, the more they can help you.  Certain companies offer this as a benefit, and it is worthwhile asking your new company to provide this for you.
We should have asked the following questions:
What extra benefits does the company provide, over and above the contract?
What paperwork should you bring with for official requirements?
Do you need work permits, visas, etc and what paperwork will the family require?
What can you bring into the country, e.g. you would not be allowed to bring alcohol and pork into a Muslim country, or certain foodstuffs or animals into e.g. Australia or the USA.
Accommodation and School
What accommodation is available?
Will the company provide accommodation?
If the company does provide accommodation, can we decide to choose our own instead?
What are the better areas to live in?
What are the rentals in these areas?
How far is work and school from the accommodation?
Which are the best International Schools?
What programs do the schools offer?
What will education cost?
What after school activities are there and does the school provide these?
When are the schools holidays and how long are they?
Does the company have any agreements with any of the schools for their employees?
What are the universities like and can the children go to these?
Transport
What is the transport system like in the country, are their buses, trains, trams, etc that you can use to get to and from work and school?
If not is there a transport / car benefit?
Does the company help provide transport to and from work?
Do you require an international driver’s license, or will you have to take a driving test?  How does this work?
Entertainment
What is there to do on a weekend?
What social and sport groups can you belong to?
Is there satellite television, and how much will it cost?
Hired Help
Is there hired help, e.g. house maids, gardeners, etc?
How much will it cost to have help at home?
How easy is it to hire help and what are the processes you need to follow?
Work
How easy will it be for your partner to obtain work?
What recruitment agencies are there or websites can be used in the country to obtain work?
What will work provide
Will work help you to open a bank account or will you have to do this on your own, what is required?
Will work provide local medical aid, international medical aid, or managed health care?
How will this system work and what medical benefits are covered?
Will work provide life or other insurance cover?
Will work pay for education for the children and up until what age?
Will the company pay for the accommodation, water, electricity, rates, etc?
Will the accommodation be furnished or unfurnished?
Will work provide a furnishing benefit or loan?
Will the company pay for furniture to be brought over from your home country and if so how much?
Will the company provide a car allowance?
Will the company pay for tickets home once a year?
What is the cost of an air ticket back home?
How many days holiday will you get a year?
Other
When is the best time to actually come over to start the assignment, e.g. starting work during the summer holidays in the northern hemisphere can be frustrating as many people take leave and you are left as the new person at work who needs guidance but there is no one around to provide this.  Also the children may find that there is no one to play with as everyone has gone away.
Will you be able to afford the move, will your salary cover the costs that you will incur in the new country?
Will your standard of living be the same as the country you have moved from?
The expats you make contact with before you leave will have the knowledge and experience of the country and will be able to answer most of the above questions. It is good to make sure you are happy with your intended move, company benefits, cost of living and new country.
Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, cost of living ranking, cost of living rankings, expat, Expat attitudes, expat children, expat kids, Expat schooling, expatriate, expatriate engagement, Expatriate Hardship | 1 Comment

The Seasoned Expat

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Xpatulator
An image of a juicy piece of sirloin comes to mind that is ever so lightly seasoned and seared lightly on the outside but still rare inside and so it should be for the seasoned expat, moving from one country to another should be like a trip to your favorite restaurant with the finest meal placed before you without having to be in the kitchen to cook it.
However, as any expat can tell you from the outset becoming a nomad takes a considerable amount of expertise, experience and well earned years on the road.  Our travels as proficient expats still needs much to be desired, but we have encountered those that have been down this path many times and for many years. They divulge information regarding their travels with the knowledge that us novices wish we had when we first set out on our adventures.
Generally our conversations with other expats goes along the following lines: How long have you been here for?  Eliciting remarks of “Oooohhhhh, shame you will get used to it, it takes a bit of time”.  Little smiles of understanding lilt other expats lips as we all know what the new recruits are going through and just how they are feeling.
Everyone takes their own time to settle and in their own way.
I know we would have made several different choices knowing what we know now from leaving our home to where we would stay on our arrival. Here are some of the questions that I have come across over the years, that can perhaps help those that endeavor to go on this voyage of expatriation.
I have broken this blog up into a series of questions that you need to ask yourself each step of the way, I will post each section of questions throughout the week.
Before you accept the assignment and are at home ask yourself the following:
1. Why do I want to become an expat, what is making me make this move?
Is this due to a career advancement, career move, or to move from a personal situation or country politics.  Make sure you are moving for the right reasons.
2. Will this be a good move for me and my family?
3. Will my marriage survive this move?
4. Will the family be happy?
5. Have I discussed all the details with them and what their needs are?
6. Have I included the children in the conversations?
7. Who is this going to benefit?
Initially, we discussed every detail about the move between ourselves, we went through the pros and cons, both financially and emotionally for the family.  Then included the children in our discussions and found a way for them to feel that they had made the decision, a smart move on my husband’s part. (If the children are too small then they cannot be part of this decision but if they understand how their lives will change then they should be included in the discussions).
Once each member of the family is in agreement with the move, then start asking the following questions:
Is the assignment an open one or a specific contract that will last for 2 or 3 years?
This will help answer questions the following questions –
1. Should I sell my home or rent it out?
2. Can the animals come with, what are the laws regarding this?
3. What relocation company is the best to use for international assignments?
4. What furniture, clothes, personal belongings should we take with us?
5. Where is the country and city we are moving to, i.e. on a map?
6. What do we know about this country?
7. What is the population, culture, religion, political situation and economy?
8. Is there a dress requirement e.g. having to wear an Abaya in Saudi Arabia, suite to work, etc?
9. What is the weather like?
10. What are the local people like?
11. How many hours will it take to get home (back to our own country) if we need to?
12. Is there a consulate for my country there?
13. How safe is it?
14. How many other expatriates live there and which countries do they come from?
Then consider your next plan of action, set dates for each of your objectives.
1. Selling / Renting house out
2. Finding a relocation / removal company
3. Finding an animal relocation company, if you are taking the animals with
4. Buying airline tickets
5. Settling any debts that may arise while you are away
6. Setting up a way to pay for any debts that may arise
7. Saying goodbye to family and friends
8. Selecting a family member or friend to deal with any business / banking issues that may arise

 

Answer these and I will post more for you to consider tomorrow.
Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living index, cost of living ranking, cost of living rankings, expat, Expat attitudes, expat children, expat kids, Expat Kids Expat chilren, Expat schooling, expatriate, expatriate engagement, Expatriate Hardship, Expatriate Package, Expatriate Pay, Expatriate Prospects, Expatriate Relocation, Expatriate Salary | Comments Off on The Seasoned Expat

From Paris with Love

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Xpatulator

Paris the “City of Love”. Who has not wished to live in Paris once in their lives? There is a line in a Baz Luhrmann song called Sunscreen that goes “Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.” I think this applies to Paris too, perhaps the saying should be “Live in Paris once but leave before it makes you too French,” unless you are French of course.

Paris has a magic about it that draws people. What is it about this city that is so special? Is it the notion that French people are undeniably romantic? Couples walking hand in hand along the Seine, sharing bread, wine and cheese in the gorgeous green parks, snuggling up on park benches in winter, whispering to each other in cafes! Or is it just that the French sound so unbelievably sexy when they speak?

I am not sure, but whatever it is I would love to live in Paris just once in my life. Paris has all the romantic attractions for me, I could imagine myself as an expat walking the streets, shopping at Galleries Lafeyette or Avenue Montaigne and Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré for the crème de la crème. Left bank or right bank you will have a ball.

Then there are the museums from The Louvre  (which could take your entire stay in Paris to get through), Musee D’Orsay and the Centre Pompidou.  The beautifully manicured parks will take your breath away and you could spend hours sunning yourself in deck chairs while life passes you by, from the elegant Luxembourg Gardens or Place des Vosges which is in the fashionable Marais quarter, and most importantly the Château de Versailles, which is opulent, fanciful and luxurious, the gardens cover more than 800 hectares – with woodland, ponds, fountains and statues. Picnicking is certainly one of the best Parisian past times that I have ever experienced.

Then there are the flea markets to browse, cafes and tearooms to experience, street markets, and last but not least the architectural wonders of the Eiffel Tower, The Opera House, Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie, and Notre Dame Cathedral to name a few.  Oh Paris, you are calling.

This is certainly not where it stops, as living in Paris gives you access to the rest of the France and well, Paris may well take you a year or two to get through, and then there is the rest of the country to experience.
Certainly enough good reasons to want to be an Expat in Paris!

But what will Paris cost you if you decided to make a career move here? What are you earning and what would you need to earn to live it up in Paris and her night clubs?

Use Xpatulator.com’s SPPP calculator which calculates how much you need to earn in Paris to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences, in order to have the same relative spending power and as a result have a similar standard of living as you have where you live now. If, for example, you live in New York and earn 100,000 USD, what would you need to earn in Paris to have the same spending power?
Salary Purchasing Power Parity

Applying the cost of living difference based on what will be paid from salary, together with the hardship difference, and arbitrage exchange rate, the Xpatulator calculation is as follows:
Home/Current location salary 100,000.00 US Dollar (USD )
+ Cost of living difference 4.9121% 4,912.08 US Dollar (USD )
+ Hardship Difference 0% 0.00 US Dollar (USD )
Total 104,912.08 US Dollar (USD )
x Exchange Rate 0.7186
Salary in Host/New location 75,389.82 Euro (EUR )
This means, based on all the above factors, that you would require a salary of 75,389.82 Euro (EUR ) in France, Paris to have the same standard of living as currently enjoyed in USA, New York NY on a salary of 100,000.00 US Dollar (USD ). This salary compensates for the overall cost of living difference of 4.9121%, the hardship difference of 0%, and the exchange rate.
Xpatulator.com

And to end off with Baz again:
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life…..the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, cost of living ranking, cost of living rankings, expat, expatriate, expatriate engagement, Expatriate Hardship, Expatriate Package, Expatriate Pay, Expatriate Salary, expats, France, Paris | Comments Off on From Paris with Love

As an Expat how do you communicate?

Posted on June 12, 2011 by Xpatulator
As expats we are far away from the ones we love (maybe distance does make the heart grow fonder), our communication systems of today however do make our loved ones within our grasp even across the miles.
Having left home 3 years ago to follow the road of the expat for the very first time, those first few weeks away from home were the worst of my life.  We had sold almost everything, the beautiful home that I had spent 3 years renovating, our investment flats, our weekend home at the dam with our speed boat, the new plot at a much bigger dam that was meant to be our retirement home, and bits and pieces of furniture that we were not taking with us.
Everything gone in less than 6 weeks, our lives sold up and never to be returned to.  We were not only becoming expats but we were moving our family out of a country that we felt had no future for them.  We packed up our container with the bits and pieces we felt we had to hold onto, said our final goodbyes to our family and friends at the airport and boarded the plane to our new lives.
Little did I realize how lonely those first few months were going to be, we were in the midst of summer vacation, everyone had taken their leave and gone home to visit their families and we were sitting in 45 – 50C degree heat.  The kids had no one to play with, other than themselves and their 30 odd year old mother, we had no car, no clue where to go and have fun, no initial internet connection, no household help, and heat that was suffocating.  To say we were not very happy campers would be under estimating  the situation.  Imagine a polar bear at the equator, and that is probably half of how awful the experience was for us.
Then suddenly we were given a lifeline, the internet was installed in our villa, we were like children in a candy store, the possibilities were endless. My laptop became my communication tool out to the world.  Skype, Facebook, gmail,(email, call phone and chat), msn, yahoo, (email, phone and chat), then what about the Blackberry (where once you have a BB account you can text anyone anywhere in the world for no cost), then there is just the normal texting where there is a cost via your cell phone (these are only a few ways of communicating), all of these became my friends.  I skyped my best friend every day to get a piece of normality into my daily life.   My friend who I had gone to gym with every day  and shared a coffee chat with afterwards was gone, and now once again we could chat with a coffee in hand across the miles. She was my godsend for those first few weeks.
Although my parents were not on Skype, we ensured that on our next visit home they were connected and up and running so that we could have visual contact with them whenever we could, which was also a godsend when my mother was diagnosed with cancer.  My ritual is to sms my mother and say, I am on skype tonight, 7pm your time 8pm mine…. Be there and we can have  a nice long chat.  All my sisters and friends are connected too and if we don’t get to skype we sure get to catch up via Facebook, be it with photos of what has been happening in their lives or merely a status update.  Little happens without me knowing about it the same day.
I sometimes think of those people who are on their adventures as expats in the Congo, or the Amazon or a remote island in the Pacific, where the internet has no connection, cell phones are foreign and satellite phones are the most likely way to communicate.  That connection to the outside world is of such importance to keep your sanity intact, it is interesting to imagine not having some form or communication around to have contact with your loved ones.
And let’s be clear, it is not only for expats but for people who find themselves living in another part of the country to those of their loved ones.  The East Coast USA versus the West Coast USA, North Australia vs South Australia, the miles are vast and the need for communication with loved ones will never fade.
So what is your form of communication across the miles??
Denise is an Expat, Mom, Wife and Marketing Manager at  http://www.xpatulator.com/ a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn in a different location to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences. The complete cost of living rank for all 300 locations for all 13 baskets is available here.
Posted in 2011 international cost of living, expat, Expat attitudes, expat children, expat kids, Expat Kids Expat chilren, expatriate, Expatriate Hardship, Expatriate Package, Expatriate Pay | Tagged | 2 Comments

What do you miss about Home?

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Xpatulator

 

Initially there is the interview, the prospect of something new on the horizon, the excitement of travel, of the unknown. There is a flutter of energy that embraces the family as possessions are sold or stored, clothes and personal belongings are packed and plans are made to travel to this new and exciting foreign destination.

You can feel the anticipation in the air, it travels with you on the plane, steps out onto the tarmac and into the airport.  Your expectations are high as you get whisked away by the new companies driver to the hotel where you will reside for the next few weeks until a home is found, furniture is bought or your container arrives, working visas are completed and work life begins.

That first day of work arrives, that sensation of your first job resurfaces, you feel nervous and anxious and slowly settle into the new culture, the language barrier, the new hours, the new colleagues, the new work load, everything that feels not as familiar as before.

Your family settle into their new schools, new friends, new home and that initial excitement of the unknown starts to settle over everyone.  Then one day a family member falls ill, you need to find a doctor fast and you need to find someone who has the know how to help you out.  This is when you start to experience that little twinge of the unknown, the unfamiliar, the nervousness returns and that feeling of wanting the familiarity of home becomes the strongest.

Missing home comes in all shapes and sizes, it just depends on what you are experiencing at that specific moment.  The family doctor that has your child’s history from when they were born and would know what to do with her immediately.  Your Mom or Dad, Sister or Brother, your best friend who you spend Christmas, birthdays, Easter, anniversaries or holiday’s with. The emotional tags that make you who you are.

The grocery store down the road that has your specific brand of cereal.  The local cinema, mall, clothing brand, toothpaste, what do you miss from home?

For me it is family, friends and the things that I am accustomed to, which doctor or dentist to go to, which social club suites my needs, my restaurants, my old very familiar life.

These emotions can waiver depending on the situation, mostly we as expats are constant.  The decision to leave our comfort zone was informed and mutually agreed upon, so often we need to consider those moments when we are at our lowest and missing home the most and reassess why the decision to become an expat was made.  Then spur ourselves on to incorporate a few home essentials into our daily lives.  A call to the person we are missing, a call to our local doctor for some advice, a trip down the road to that friend that may have good advice on how to handle the situation or which doctor would be the wisest choice.

I am not suggesting that the feeling of missing home will dissolve never to be reignited again, but it may just help hat little bit to make it more bearable.

Denise is an Expat, Mom, Wife and Marketing Manager at  http://www.xpatulator.com/ a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn in a different location to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences. The complete cost of living rank for all 300 locations for all 13 baskets is available here.

Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, cost of living ranking, expat, expatriate | Comments Off on What do you miss about Home?

Expatriate Cost of Living Bangladesh, Dhaka

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Xpatulator
Bangladesh can be found in Southern Asia, it is bordered on the west, north and east by India and the southeast by Burma (Myanmar). On the south there is an exceedingly uneven deltaic which is fissured by many rivers and streams which flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The Climate here is tropical with mild winters (October to March); and hot, humid summers (March to June).  Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate characterized by high humidity, variations in rainfall and high temperatures (June to October).  Dhaka has a hot, wet and humid tropical climate, with a monsoon season.  Average annual temperatures are logged at 27.5 °C (81.5 °F), monthly means varying between 19.5 °C (67 °F) in January and 32 °C (90 °F) in April. 87% of the annual average rainfall is logged between May to October this measures up to 2,121 millimeters (83.5 in).
Public health and the quality of city life are negatively affected by the increasing air and water pollution caused largely by the traffic congestion and industrial waste. Coupled with this pollution, is the erosion of the natural habitats which threatens to destroy much of the regional biodiversity.
The Bangladesh terrain is mostly flat alluvial plains and is hilly in the southeast.
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka District.
Dhaka consists of tropical vegetation and moist soils, which are flat and close to sea level. This results in Dhaka being susceptible to flooding when the monsoon season arrives owing to heavy rainfall and cyclones, and its’ location on the Eastern banks of the Buriganga River.  The city also lies on the lower reaches of the Ganges Delta.
Bangladesh is a developing nation despite continuous domestic and international efforts to improve its economic and demographic prospects.  Bangladesh grows a significant amount of rice (chal), tea (Cha) and mustard. Although two-thirds of the population are farmers, more than three quarters of the export earnings come from the garment industry. A large portion of foreign currency earnings is from  remittances sent by expatriates living in other countries.
Dhaka is the commercial heart of Bangladesh. There are a large number of migrant workers, which results in a large segment of the population being employed as hawkers, peddlers, small shops, rickshaw transport, roadside vendors and stalls.  The textile industry employs approximately 800,000 workers while half of the workforce is employed in household and unorganized labor. Its’ growing middle class population is driving the market for modern consumer and luxury goods. Even with all this work, unemployment remains high at 19%.
The Cost of Living in Dhaka:
The overall cost of living index, equates it with low cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups.  Dhaka is currently ranked 283 overall, most expensive location in the world for expatriates to live, out of 300 international locations.
Comparing the cost of living in Dhaka, Bangladesh basket by basket with , shows that in Dhaka:
·         Alcohol & Tobacco is more expensive
·         Clothing is cheaper
·         Communication is more expensive
·         Education is cheaper
·         Furniture & Appliance is cheaper
·         Grocery is cheaper
·         Healthcare is cheaper
·         Household is cheaper
·         Miscellaneous is cheaper
·         Personal Care is cheaper
·         Recreation and Culture is more expensive
·         Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel is cheaper
·         Transport is cheaper
The overall weighted cost of living difference between India, Mumbai and Bangladesh, Dhaka is -26.96%.
The Home Location India, Mumbai is ranked as a high degree of hardship location with a hardship premium of 30%
The To Location Bangladesh, Dhaka is ranked as an extreme hardship location with a hardship premium of 40%
The relative difference in hardship premium (i.e. Host Location Premium minus Home Location Premium) is 10%
The following arbitrage exchange rate was used as the basis of the Xpatulator calculation. (This exchange rate is updated quarterly):
1.5510 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT ) to 1 Indian Rupee (INR )
0.6447 Indian Rupee (INR ) to 1 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT )
Applying the cost of living difference based on what will be paid from salary, together with the hardship difference, and arbitrage exchange rate, the Xpatulator calculation is as follows:
* 7,245,300.00
Indian Rupee (INR ) = 100,000 US$
Home/Current location salary
*7,245,300.00
Indian Rupee (INR )
+ Cost of living difference – 26.9624%
-1,953,507.86
Indian Rupee (INR )
+ Hardship Difference 10%
724,530.00
Indian Rupee (INR )
Total
6,016,322.14
Indian Rupee (INR )
x Exchange Rate 1.5510
Salary in Host/New location
9,331,315.64
Bangladeshi Taka (BDT )
This means, based on all the above factors, that a person would require a salary of 9,331,315.64 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT ) in Bangladesh, Dhaka to have the same standard of living as currently enjoyed in India, Mumbai on a salary of 7,245,300.00 Indian Rupee (INR ). This salary compensates for the overall cost of living difference of – 26.9624%, the hardship difference of 10%, and the exchange rate.
Steven is Chief Instigator at http://www.xpatulator.com a website that provides cost of living index information and calculates what you need to earn in a different location to compensate for cost of living, hardship, and exchange rate differences. You can use the Salary Purchasing Power Parity (SPPP) calculator to produce a similar report to the example of Baku and Riyadh, using your own locations. The complete cost of living rank for all 300 locations for all 13 baskets is available here
Posted in Bangladesh, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, cost of living ranking, cost of living rankings, Dhaka Cost of Living, International Cost of Living | Comments Off on Expatriate Cost of Living Bangladesh, Dhaka

Expatriate Pay in Baku, Azerbaijan

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Xpatulator

Azerbaijan is in South Western Asia, bordering the Caspian Sea, between Iran and Russia, with a small European portion north of the Caucasus range.

The economy of Azerbaijan has largely completed its post-Soviet transition into a major oil based economy with the completion of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline.

Baku has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations. The overall cost of living index is comprised of the prices for defined quantities of the same goods and services across all 13 Basket Groups.
Baku is currently ranked 81 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 300 international locations.

Comparing the cost of living in Baku basket by basket with Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, shows that in Baku…..more

Posted in 2011 international cost of living, Azerbaijan, Baku Cost of living, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, cost of living index, cost of living ranking | Comments Off on Expatriate Pay in Baku, Azerbaijan

Before you go on an international assignment

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Xpatulator

The opportunity to get international experience can accelerate your career, but you should do your homework thoroughly before committing. With the shift in economic strength shifting eastward, the number of people taking international assignments is growing.
 

From a career perspective, the right kind of international experience is an advantage for top level executive positions. However the wrong kind of international experience can hinder your career. Are you going to be exposed to the latest technology/best practices? Is the organization held in high regard? Will the assignment look good on your CV a few years from now? Can you use this opportunity to make your mark?

An international assignment can put you in the spotlight or hide you away so that you are overlooked for future career moves. An assignment that was planned to last a year or two, could become long term, especially if you have school going children.
 

A successful international assignment requires several key skills.

Read More

Posted in expatriate, expatriate engagement, Expatriate Hardship, Expatriate Package, Expatriate Pay, Expatriate Prospects, Expatriate Relocation, expats | Tagged | Comments Off on Before you go on an international assignment

Comparative Cost of Living : Perth, Australia

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Xpatulator

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and ranks fourth amongst the nation’s cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average.
The climate is hot with Summer temperatures rising to 36°, with 10 hours of sunshine daily and hardly any rain, while Winters are mild, with hot, sunny and clear blue skies.  Perth can experience high winds and fierce storms and at these times there are risks of flooding from the Swan River. The city also sits close to Australia’a most active earthquake zone.

Economically it dominates the Western Australian economy by virtue of its population and its role as the administrative center for business and government, despite the major mining, petroleum and agricultural export industries located elsewhere in the state. Perth’s function as the State’s capital city, its economic base and population size have also created development opportunities for many other businesses oriented to local or more diversified markets.

The inner city of Perth is located alongside the Swan River, it was originally built using convict labor and the historic buildings are testimony to this era.  These areas now provide a scenic outlook for Perth and the river is a place for recreational activities, such as river cruises, walking, cycling, water sports and picnicking along the banks.

There are some great malls which lend themselves to fun shopping days, such as The Hay St Mall, Murray St Mall, Raine Square, Forest Chase, Barrack St and Kings Street to name a few.

Some attractions in Perth are Kings Park, the Botanical garden, Perth Zoo, the Old Mill and Barracks Arch.

Then there is the Sunset Coast in Perth, where you can walk along beautiful sandy beaches, swim in the surf or tan in the warm sun.

The Port city of Fremantle, a popular spot on weekends for markets, entertainment and alfresco style cafes and eateries, lies just south of Perth on the coast of Western Australia.
The Swan Valley Region has more than 40 vineyards many still run by the original families, this area is steeped in history and is one of Western Australia’s oldest wine regions.

A popular holiday destination is Rottnest Island, it offers a relaxed atmosphere where you can meet the Quokka, a unique little marsupial which is responsible for the islands name.
Perth hills offers wonderful bushwalking and hiking trails with rolling hills and valleys of native bushland, wineries and orchards.

The district of Northbridge, just outside of Perth offers a range of nightclubs, pubs, cafes and eateries with an eclectic mix of cultures and cuisines.  South of Perth in Fremantle which offers further nightlife with a variety of local nightclubs and bars.

Living in Perth


The Central Business District (CBD) is in Central Perth, if you work in the CBD you may want to live nearby, or along the main commuting routes (freeways and railways – Perth offers a good public transport system).

A city lifestyle will be found in East Perth, Subiaco, and some parts of Northbridge and Joondalup.  They have higher density housing, apartments and townhouses, with lots of facilities closeby, such as cafes, restaurants, cinemas and theatres.  Mount Hawthorn, Vic Park and Fremantle have similar lifestyle facilities, and offer more character and older styled houses.

To the North of the River you will find great beaches and better routes into the city, while South of the River has more character suburbs (e.g. Fremantle) with easier access to the Southern areas of WA.

If you are looking for a beach home, look towards the Northern Coastal Suburbs, there are also wonderful areas around the Swan and Canning Rivers, while the Hills offer a less suburban-type lifestyle.

The Northern suburbs are very popular, this covers the coastal areas from Trig to Mindarie, and the suburbs inland from these.  The main attraction are the great beaches in these areas and the availability of new housing developments.

There are obviously many factors to consider when deciding on location, such as the schools, location to work, quality of houses, number of facilities available close by, the median house price in an area is a good indicator of how desirable the area is.

Schools include both Government and Private schools, with the majority of children going to the former. The school year starts in January and ends in December.

What is the cost of living in Perth:

Perth has an overall cost of living index which equates it with high cost of living locations.
Perth is currently ranked 23 overall, most expensive place in the world for expatriates to live, out of 300 international locations.

Hardship of Perth, Australia compared to Los Angeles, USA :

The Home Location USA, Los Angeles Calif is ranked as a minimal hardship location with a hardship premium of 10%

The To Location Australia, Perth is ranked as a minimal hardship location with a hardship premium of 10%

The relative difference in hardship premium (i.e. Host Location Premium minus Home Location Premium) is 0%

Salary Purchasing Power Parity

Applying the cost of living difference based on what will be paid from salary, together with the hardship difference, and arbitrage exchange rate, the Xpatulator calculation is as follows:

Home/Current location salary
 100,000.00
US Dollar (USD )
+ Cost of living difference 32.0427%
 32,042.73
US Dollar (USD )
+ Hardship Difference 0%
 0.00
US Dollar (USD )
Total
 132,042.73
US Dollar (USD )
x Exchange Rate 0.9858
Salary in Host/New location
130,167.72
Australian Dollar (AUD )
This means, based on all the above factors, that a person would require a salary of 130,167.72 Australian Dollar (AUD ) in Australia, Perth to have the same standard of living as currently enjoyed in USA, Los Angeles Calif on a salary of 100,000.00 US Dollar (USD ). This salary compensates for the overall cost of living difference of 32.0427%, the hardship difference of 0%, and the exchange rate.
The Overall Basket Group cost of living ranking for Perth Australia is:
  • Alcohol & Tobacco rank of 37 out of 300.
  • Clothing rank of 142 out of 300.
  • Communication rank of 169 out of 300.
  • Education rank of 20 out of 300.
  • Furniture & Appliance rank of 93 out of 300.
  • Grocery rank of 36 out of 300.
  • Healthcare rank of 16 out of 300.
  • Household rank of 35 out of 300.
  • Miscellaneous rank of 182 out of 300.
  • Personal Care rank of 13 out of 300.
  • Recreation and Culture rank of 23 out of 300.
  • Restaurants, Meals Out and Hotel rank of 24 out of 300.
  • Transport rank of 52 out of 300. 

The overall weighted cost of living difference between USA, Los Angeles Calif and Australia, Perth is 32.04%

Posted in 2011 international cost of living, cost of living, cost of living allowance, cost of living calculator, cost of living comparison, International cost of living comparison, International Cost of Living Rank; International Cost of Living Index, Perth Australia Cost of Living | Comments Off on Comparative Cost of Living : Perth, Australia