Setup
Auto-saved locallySwitching destination loads typical costs for that country — adjust anything.
Current Situation (home country)
These are deducted from both sides of the comparison: what you pay now, and what you'll keep paying from the GCC (mortgage, credit cards, savings at home…).
New GCC Package
0% across the GCC today — field kept for allowance deductions or future change.
Employer contribution towards school fees — offset against fees below.
Monthly Living Costs —
One-off Relocation Costs optional — includes school entry fees
Second opinion on this package
Reads the figures above and tells you what stands out — whether the housing allowance looks light for the city, whether school fees are eating too much of gross, and what to ask for in negotiation. This is the one feature that sends data off your device: the summary numbers on screen go to our review service. Nothing is stored, and the calculator works fully without it.
Scenarios compare offers side by side, like your spreadsheet columns
Questions people ask before moving to the Gulf
Is salary really tax free in the GCC?
None of the six GCC states levies personal income tax on employment income, so locally your gross is usually your net. That does not settle your position at home: tax residency rules in your home country may still apply, particularly in the year you leave, so check before assuming the whole difference is yours to keep.
What does a package usually include besides basic pay?
Typically a housing allowance, a transport or car allowance, annual flights home, medical insurance, and for families an education allowance towards school fees. These are worth more than they look, because housing and schooling are the two largest expat costs — so compare offers on the total package, not on basic salary.
How much do international school fees take?
Fees commonly run from roughly 40,000 to 70,000 riyals or dirhams per child per year in the main cities, plus one-off application, assessment and deposit fees. For two children that can absorb a fifth of gross pay, which is why an education allowance is usually the highest-value thing to negotiate. Enter fees per child and any allowance above, and the calculator shows the net cost.
Why do I need a large amount of cash on arrival?
Annual rent is often payable up front in one to four cheques, school deposits fall due before term starts, and your first salary can be four to six weeks away while your residence permit is processed. Use the one-off relocation costs section to size the float you need, and the break-even line to see how quickly you recover it.
Which costs do people most often forget?
Flights home for the whole family, a car (public transport is limited in most Gulf cities), medical and dental costs not covered by the employer policy, and the commitments that keep running at home — mortgage, council tax, credit cards. The last group is the reason two people on identical salaries can end up in completely different positions.
Does this calculator store my salary?
No. Figures are calculated in your browser and saved only to that browser's local storage, so they are still there when you come back. Nothing is uploaded unless you choose the optional package review. See the privacy notice.