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Post by BlueStaff on Sept 7, 2018 22:34:21 GMT
Truth be told, most of the compounds were massively inflating their prices to Aramco due to the way RAA was calculated (ie not capped).
However, if you do still decide to live off camp, there are bargains to be had as the property owners are now finding that the market is over-supplied and having to reduce their prices.
In this new era of cutbacks Aramco have tweaked a lot of benefits - none of them to the employees favour. RAA has gone, business flights for new hires also as well as many other items.
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Post by StarboyX on Sept 8, 2018 13:20:18 GMT
Dear All, I am currently in the visa application process, will be based in Dhahran with family status and global payroll, hopefully on board in Dec this year. We plan to live outside Aramco Camp thus RAA will be an option. What is current Aramco accommodation rules for new hires? Many thanks! Depending on the size of your family it might be best to live on camp. |
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Post by trebbie on Sept 9, 2018 21:47:16 GMT
I imagine the standard rental costs on camp are a sensitive number which can't be disclosed here but I note with interest that "there are bargains to be had" off camp.
Is that even the case without the RAA or are you talking about staff who still have this benefit? If it is a bargain for everyone is the on camp standard rate really expensive?
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Post by hat on Sept 9, 2018 23:54:00 GMT
Truth be told, most of the compounds were massively inflating their prices to Aramco due to the way RAA was calculated (ie not capped). However, if you do still decide to live off camp, there are bargains to be had as the property owners are now finding that the market is over-supplied and having to reduce their prices. In this new era of cutbacks Aramco have tweaked a lot of benefits - none of them to the employees favour. RAA has gone, business flights for new hires also as well as many other items. It's quite interesting to compare rental cost on camp vs off camp in over-supplied market condition if we intend to live off the camp. Yes, the benefits cutback impacted all industry. Not much option but get the best available option... Thanks BlueStaff. |
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Post by BlueStaff on Sept 10, 2018 4:13:36 GMT
Post on this sub-forum quotes Las dunas compound at 70k SAR per year for a "bachelor apartment". I'm not going to go into exact numbers but that is in excess of even what the new, luxury Aramco villas cost for rental (and those are 2 times or more as expensive as normal on camp housing).
My tuppence worth - the Aramco on camp housing is dated, but good enough and subsidised. The facilities provided alone on camp make it worthwhile. Your daily commute to work will be in the order of 5-10 minutes in most cases. You have access to the entire bus tran3sport network sls centred on Dhahran.
Financially I reckon it is at least 1/2 the cost of off camp compounds, and comparing the cost of an aramco house to an apartment in Dammam, there will only be 2000-300 SAR saving by living off camp.
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swan
Senior Member
Posts: 209
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Post by swan on Sept 10, 2018 5:57:10 GMT
I'd agree, Bluestaff.
Without RAA, living on camp is a no brainer, and I only have anecdotal knowledge of Aramco camp costs (I also wouldn't choose to live in Dammam. Khobar all the way for me).
Compared to my (cheap, uk) knowledge of rents, prices in Khobar may be falling, but it is still very expensive to rent in a compound. Rent off a compound is cheaper. I still wouldn't call it cheap.
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Post by omega on Sept 11, 2018 17:13:17 GMT
Post on this sub-forum quotes Las dunas compound at 70k SAR per year for a "bachelor apartment". I'm not going to go into exact numbers but that is in excess of even what the new, luxury Aramco villas cost for rental (and those are 2 times or more as expensive as normal on camp housing). My tuppence worth - the Aramco on camp housing is dated, but good enough and subsidised. The facilities provided alone on camp make it worthwhile. Your daily commute to work will be in the order of 5-10 minutes in most cases. You have access to the entire bus tran3sport network sls centred on Dhahran. Financially I reckon it is at least 1/2 the cost of off camp compounds, and comparing the cost of an aramco house to an apartment in Dammam, there will only be 2000-300 SAR saving by living off camp. It goes without saying that off-camp housing (incl. Las Dunas, or for that matter any compound or even regular flat) is not attractive for new comers who are offered with on camp housing, and who are no longer eligible for RAA (as discussed above). So, in summary it's a no-brainer that given the option everyone should choose on-camp housing, as rental assistance is no longer provided. My post about Las Dunas (in another thread) was aiming to inform colleagues who are on RAA, and who may be considering to switch compounds, of an alternative choice, in a rental market that becomes increasingly cheaper. |
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Post by babrabashir1 on Dec 10, 2018 5:28:53 GMT
good piece of information
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Post by mxromen on Aug 26, 2019 11:11:33 GMT
still too much housing is available in Dhahran, either family or bachelor status?
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Post by StarboyX on Aug 26, 2019 18:50:51 GMT
still too much housing is available in Dhahran, either family or bachelor status? It appears most people now go directly on camp. Again depends on availability, grade code, etc If you have a family, it's financially more viable and convenient to live on camp. |
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Post by mxromen on Sept 15, 2019 6:46:11 GMT
thnx StarboyX
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