Moving to Aberdeen

[MovingSoon]

Hello,

I'll be moving to Aberdeen next year for an expat assignment. My company has not made a formal offer yet, but can anybody tell me what is a decent salary to sustain 1 person comfortably?

Thanks,
MovingSoon

[UnLandais]

Hi, Aberdeen is probably Scotland's most expensive city along with parts of Edinburgh, but I'm guessing if you've been posted there on assignment from Texas then you're probably in the oil industry (excuse my nosey assumptions if they're wrong!) In that case, I imagine just about anything such a company give you will be sufficient despite the prices of property to let.

You can probably find a reasonable one bedroom flat @ £550 per month. But prices can soar into the £700 or £800 range easily if you don't look hard enough or if you want a bit of space. If you're frugal maybe you could find a little studio flat or something for £400-ish if you're lucky, but don't expect much room. I imagine in the States there is plenty room, but appartments can get pretty cramped and poky in Britain (and Europe), unless you pay a small fortune, that's just the way it is I'm afraid.

If you want 2 bedrooms expect to go over £600 and beyond. Of course, you will have to pay council tax unless you and/or your landlord meet certain unlikely conditions. If the price for a months rent seems very high maybe the landlord has included the council tax in the rent. Make sure you ask who is responsible to pay! It will probably be around £1200 or more per year in a reasonable property in Aberdeen.

Utility bills vary obviously depending on your situation. Maybe £30 a month for phone and Internet together. About £20-30 on gas and electricity. Food could cost you between £120-£200 a month depending on what you buy and how frugal you are. Drink and household goods would push up that figure. These are consevative estimates.

I can't really say how many pennies you would want for leisure time but basically:

Rent = roughly £7000 per year
Council tax = £1200 per year
Bills (could vary wildly) = £700 and upwards per year
Food, household goods = 2500 per year easily

You'd need near enough £10 grand just to breathe, but there are lots of hidden stuff I've missed out (car or other transport for example, tv licence, mobile phone blah blah.) If you actually want to surpass the bread line then you need £15 grand. If you want to start enjoying your life you'll want more than that.

It's a very rough figure to give you, but whatever £20 grand is in American dollars, I'd ask for it. It seems to me at the lower end of a fair deal.

Good luck and don't forget to do the malt whisky tour in Morayshire not far to the west!

[MovingSoon]

Thanks a lot for the detailed reply!

Yeah, your assumptions about Texas and oil company are right . I should be getting an offer pretty soon. Your information will help me make a decision.

Thanks and good luck to you too!

[UnLandais]

No probs MovingSoon, and while you're there in Aberdeen make sure you go to the baker's and get a few "rowies". It's a type of flattened croissant particuler to the region. It's slightly salted, very heavy heavy and full of fat. It sounds horrible but they are TASTY. Put them in the toaster and when they're hot, spread some butter or jam or something on them. Eat them with some cheddar cheese in the morning and down with a cup of tea.

Food of the gods.

They are also called "butteries", you can find them in the supermarkets sometimes too. But eat in moderation, they will push your cholesterol through the roof. Three or four a week is enough.

[MovingSoon]

Thanks for the tip AND the warning!!!

Originally Posted by UnLandais

No probs MovingSoon, and while you're there in Aberdeen make sure you go to the baker's and get a few "rowies". It's a type of flattened croissant particuler to the region. It's slightly salted, very heavy heavy and full of fat. It sounds horrible but they are TASTY. Put them in the toaster and when they're hot, spread some butter or jam or something on them. Eat them with some cheddar cheese in the morning and down with a cup of tea.

Food of the gods.

They are also called "butteries", you can find them in the supermarkets sometimes too. But eat in moderation, they will push your cholesterol through the roof. Three or four a week is enough.

[whartonlee]

What is your position right now? Have you made any headway in your package? I too have been offered to go to Aberdeen for a 2 year assignment for an oil company in Houston. My problem is that I know no one that's been there, therefore, I have no idea what the cost of living is there. I will be going there with a family of 4 (spouse and 2 kids). do you have any resources that could help me?
m

Originally Posted by MovingSoon

Hello,

I'll be moving to Aberdeen next year for an expat assignment. My company has not made a formal offer yet, but can anybody tell me what is a decent salary to sustain 1 person comfortably?

Thanks,
MovingSoon

[appy]

Hi,

That was great info you posted - so for a family of 2 - My husband and myself - who plan to be in Aberdeen for about 2 years - would a salary in the rage of Pound- 35,00 to 45,000

Thanks for all the info - We are planning to move in the next 2-3 months

Appy

Originally Posted by UnLandais

Hi, Aberdeen is probably Scotland's most expensive city along with parts of Edinburgh, but I'm guessing if you've been posted there on assignment from Texas then you're probably in the oil industry (excuse my nosey assumptions if they're wrong!) In that case, I imagine just about anything such a company give you will be sufficient despite the prices of property to let.

You can probably find a reasonable one bedroom flat @ £550 per month. But prices can soar into the £700 or £800 range easily if you don't look hard enough or if you want a bit of space. If you're frugal maybe you could find a little studio flat or something for £400-ish if you're lucky, but don't expect much room. I imagine in the States there is plenty room, but appartments can get pretty cramped and poky in Britain (and Europe), unless you pay a small fortune, that's just the way it is I'm afraid.

If you want 2 bedrooms expect to go over £600 and beyond. Of course, you will have to pay council tax unless you and/or your landlord meet certain unlikely conditions. If the price for a months rent seems very high maybe the landlord has included the council tax in the rent. Make sure you ask who is responsible to pay! It will probably be around £1200 or more per year in a reasonable property in Aberdeen.

Utility bills vary obviously depending on your situation. Maybe £30 a month for phone and Internet together. About £20-30 on gas and electricity. Food could cost you between £120-£200 a month depending on what you buy and how frugal you are. Drink and household goods would push up that figure. These are consevative estimates.

I can't really say how many pennies you would want for leisure time but basically:

Rent = roughly £7000 per year
Council tax = £1200 per year
Bills (could vary wildly) = £700 and upwards per year
Food, household goods = 2500 per year easily

You'd need near enough £10 grand just to breathe, but there are lots of hidden stuff I've missed out (car or other transport for example, tv licence, mobile phone blah blah.) If you actually want to surpass the bread line then you need £15 grand. If you want to start enjoying your life you'll want more than that.

It's a very rough figure to give you, but whatever £20 grand is in American dollars, I'd ask for it. It seems to me at the lower end of a fair deal.

Good luck and don't forget to do the malt whisky tour in Morayshire not far to the west!

[appy]

Hi,

Are you still in Aberdeen - now - how has your experience been - My Husband and I plan to be there in May 2010 - what do you think will be a good ball park - expense sum.
How does medical insurance work, Any social security or other taxes apart from Income taxes.
I doubt I will be able to work for the first few months atleast, So Its just going to be my husband.
I currently live in Dallas- Texas

Thank you in advance
Appy

Originally Posted by MovingSoon

Thanks a lot for the detailed reply!

Yeah, your assumptions about Texas and oil company are right . I should be getting an offer pretty soon. Your information will help me make a decision.

Thanks and good luck to you too!

[UnLandais]

Originally Posted by appy

Hi,

Are you still in Aberdeen - now - how has your experience been - My Husband and I plan to be there in May 2010 - what do you think will be a good ball park - expense sum.
How does medical insurance work, Any social security or other taxes apart from Income taxes.
I doubt I will be able to work for the first few months atleast, So Its just going to be my husband.
I currently live in Dallas- Texas

Thank you in advance
Appy

I hope you folks going to Aberdeen manage to get everything sorted. I think you will. Although there is plenty of red tape in Britain and in Scotland, I reckon it's a lot less than where I am right now!

A salary of 35,000 pounds should cover everything, even for two people if one of you isn't working. I'm not saying you'll be rich, but there shouldn't be any reason for not paying the bills or getting into debt. Of course, the more you have the more you can live, it depends on what you want to do. If you've got expensive habits like eating lobster at fancy restaurants, playing golf, buying rare whiskies, etc, then your money won't go as far as you hope. But, as I say, lots of people live on less and aren't unhappy.

There are some people in Britain who live on 10k a year (with a little government help sometimes) and they look in fine fettle. I know others who are salaried at five times that amount and throw it all away on rubbish and get themselves in a terrible state. It's all about managing your finances.

Medical is covered with National Insurance Contributions. These are payments taken directly from your salary by the government and show on your pay slip. Should you need to see a doctor, require urgent medical care, whatever, you will have already paid and the National Health Service will or at least should take care of you. Dental can be also be found on the NHS, but finding it isn't always easy. You may have to travel a bit to find an NHS dentist.

If you're not happy with the NHS you can supplement it with some private health care. I can't tell you how much that costs or how it works, I've never used it, never felt the need (and I'm still alive, go figure!!) Working people usually have to pay for their NHS prescriptions. I think it's about 7 pounds, no matter what cream, pill, or remedy you require.

Social security contributions as far as I know also come under your National Insurance Contributions (NIC's) NIC's for the year could end up being about 1% of the salary if you earn enough money.

I think I mentioned Council Tax already. That's to cover the police, fire services, education, housing, water and waste, etc, that kind of thing. The last time I checked it's related to the value of the property you live in. You need to check the rates with your address.

What you should look for are those insidious hidden stealth taxes that the govenment thinks we don't notice. Like road tax. It's been a while since I paid a year of road tax back home but I reckon it's probably near 200 quid now, the same goes for a TV licence. Yes, you need to have a licence to have a television in your home and it costs about 150 pounds. Don't quote me on these prices but it's very roughly in that range.

Road tax, I don't disagree with the idea, I just wish they would fix the potholes on certain roads. The TV licence is the most ridiculous thing ever conceived on this planet, but if you don't pay it you risk the inspectors coming and rummaging around your house looking for a tv. If they find one you'll be fined, a lot.

I can't think right now if there is anything else. If something comes to mind I'll post later.

[Joppa]

Medical care is in fact covered by general taxation, with National Insurance being part of it (though it may qualify you for some extra benefits like pensions). Your residency determines whether you can become an NHS patient - it's just a question of registering with a local GP.
NIC comes to about 11% of your taxable income (slightly less if you belong to an occupational pension), together with 20% normal income tax rate (will go up to 50% for very highly paid from April). You get your first £6.5k or so free of tax per year.
Road tax (car tax, vehicle excise duty) is levied on carbon emission of your model, so smaller and more green, less you pay (cleanest car pays nothing). Fuel (petrol - gas and diesel) is very highly taxed in UK, at around £1.10 a litre or $7 a US gallon. But there are very few toll roads.
TV Licence is to finance public broadcasting service, the BBC which doesn't have advertising and broadcasts generally high-quality programmes. It exists in many other countries too.