living on 35 000 irp a month and euro school goa

adamjamil · Feb 5th, 2009, 16:50

hello i am new to this site and wondered if anyone could help me out.

i have a chance of moving from the uk to goa and starting a job with a salary of 35 000 a month

would this allow me to have a decent standard of living in goa, thinking that i would have to find a place to rent from this money?

i was also wondering if anyone had any thoughts/information about the european school goa. i am thinking of enrolling my son in the school he is 10 and would be in primary education following the english national curriculum.

any help info would be great
cheers

LilBoy BigTown · Feb 5th, 2009, 17:16

I am a novice as far as Goa goes, but I suspect that amount of money wouldn't be enough to sustain yourself.

When you bring your son into the equation, it gets even more difficult. International schools in India could cost just as much as they would in Europe or America, perhaps a bit more.

If you were on your own, and housing was taken care off, then you could perhaps live on 35,000 a month.

There are plenty of Goa experts here. Hang around and they'll be on to it soon.

LilBoy BigTown · Feb 5th, 2009, 17:17

And yeah, Welcome to IM.

carlaeb · Feb 5th, 2009, 17:42

Hi. This depends on what you consider a decent standard of living and whether or not you have any other income or plan to use savings to supplement, etc.

You can find very small and very cheap places to live in Goa- like an efficiency apartment without a kitchen. But by "decent standard of living" I'm assuming you'd want a two bedroom place for you and your son that has a regular bathroom, shower, and full kitchen. I'm also assuming you'd want a living room and to live in a decent area. Around the European School, I think you need to expect to pay 10K for that on the low end (if you are really lucky) and 30K on the high end. Most likely, it will cost you between 15-20. Then, on top of that, you'll have to pay tuition at the European School. I'm not sure how much it is exactly, but I've heard it isn't cheap. I'm not sure where your job is, but the European school is in Saligao, and there isn't much around there in terms of shopping, restaurants, etc, and the beach is a bit farther away. So either you will have to live closer to town and commute to school every day, or you'll have to live closer to school and commute to town. Then you have to consider where your job is.

The commute is not far at all, just a handful of miles, and there won't be traffic most of the time. I bring it up because you will either have to purchase a scooter or take taxis (you won't be able to purchase a car on that salary). These little expenses can add up. A rickshaw from the European school to downtown Calangute costs about 60 rupees which doesn't sound like much, but if you are doing it twice a day M-F that's 2,000 a month. So it adds up. Depending on how responsible your son is and how far away your job is, there is also the cheaper (and healthy!) option of buying bikes and cycling everywhere. You can probably find someone to carpool with also.

Groceries are really cheap. If you eat mostly vegetarian and cook seasonal foods from the market yourself, you can eat well for 2-3K a week, but eating out adds up really fast. Then you have to factor in the little expenses like purchasing all your consumable water or purchasing a water filter. Washing your clothes will cost another 500 a month, and you'll probably want cell phones which can add up little by little if you make lots of calls. Then, you'll probably go to the Internet cafe which will cost you another 50 rupees every hour. And I'm sure you'll sometimes eat out or go shopping or have to buy clothes or get a haircut, and all those things will add up a bit.

In short, if you are really cheap, I think you can do it (dependent on the tuition cost), but you will have to live really simply and pinch those rupees so I don't know if you'd call that a decent lifestyle! I recommend having something saved up for in case one of you falls ill or you need to return. You will not be able to save money on that income, and you should not come without a safety net at all on that income.

ADDED:
On second thought, once you add the tuition cost, no I don't think you can do it unless you have another source of income. You won't have enough left after rent, food, other expenses to pay tuition unless it is ridiculously low, which I'm sure it is not.

Sorry my math skills are not so great!

johnny five · Feb 5th, 2009, 19:55

This should be read in conjunction with Carlaeb's post above.

First the school;

Quote:

With regard to the International School at Saligao, it would appear to have gone downhill lately. It sounds like it has caught the Goan disease, charging too much for too little! Several of our friends have taken their kids out of there and believe it or not, are sending them to an excellent school near Vasco!
This school requires the kids to have student visas, unlike Saligao

This is a quote from the thread two down from yours, by me. I do not have the details of the other school (I don't have kids) but it seems by repute to have better academic standards and longer terms. The school year at Saligao has shrunk to ludicrous levels, so I am told.
The costs quoted for accomodation I completely disagree with. Even renting for 4-6 months in the winter and ignoring the fact that Goa is dead at the moment, they seem very high. Even Calangute/Candolim would be only 10k max for a nice 2 bed apt. rented on an all year basis. A little way out of "tourism" and that much will get you a nice house with garden.
All of Carlaeb's other costs are pretty accurate, they should be as she lives here as do we.
Before you invest in a scooter or bicycles(!), remember the monsoon with torrential rain spread over June to October.
Will try to get the details of the school at Vasco for you. Best to get your son a student visa anyway?
Personally I think you should be able to get by on the 35k, but you certainly will not be living in luxury and "comfortable" could be a struggle at times.
This all seems daft when you think that 6k is considered a damn good salary locally!
You obviously know where your potential job would be based, and it might be a good idea to tell us? Goa looks small on a map but due to the crap infrastructure and manic traffic it can take a long time to get anywhere, so all this advice on schools is hypothetical at the moment.
Here is a map to help you orientate........
http://www.johnthemap.co.uk/pages/goa/goamap.html
Regards
Johnny Five

carlaeb · Feb 6th, 2009, 12:48

Johnny Five is right. I didn't think about it, but I've only looked in our area- on the beach, in town, with a yard for the dog and broadband for my husband's work and my IM addiction. I think I said to plan 15-20, but planning to spend 10 on your accommodation is probably a better budget. I know people who pay less than that too, but they do not have nice two bedrooms with kitchen, etc. Maybe everyone I know is just rich?

When you get here and start looking for a place, do not go through a broker. They want a TON of money, and the fact that you have a broker tells the landlord that he can increase the rent. Instead, just ask around the locals and stress that you have a local job, local income and will stay all year. Everyone here knows everyone else, and you will find a place this way more quickly and more cheaply.

Anyway, the reason I'm posting on this thread again is that I checked into the tuition at European School of Goa- well, I asked someone who used to work there. She said that the tuition is extremely high. (She told me the exact price

, but I don't feel comfortable posting it here in case for some reason it is incorrect or in case it changes or the directors work with people on an income based level. I don't want to be responsible for a Google search that incorrectly gives information about a business!) But I suggest you call the school and find out straight from the horse's mouth. If you can afford it somehow, you might want to also compare the price to prestigious schools like Shri Ram in Gurgaon- very competitive and considered one of the best schools in India- so that you can get a better picture of how much you are paying.

johnny five · Feb 6th, 2009, 14:13

Thank you Carlaeb, I hope you didn't think I was just being argumentative?
I agree that a house in the Calangute/Candolim area will be expensive, but an apartment will not be as there are thousands available and an all year round tenant is like gold dust!
Personally, having seen how dead that area is out of season, I would not want to stay there all year as you get the worst of both worlds with the crowds in season.
Here in Siolim I can get to several nice beaches in less than 15 mins, Mapusa for shopping in 10, and an easy walk to local shops, bank and post office where all daily essentials can be found. We have a detached, large, 3 double bedroom, 2 reception, 2 bathroom and large kitchen, double garage and large compound, all in excellent green surroundings and we pay 11k per month all year on a five year lease that has 2 yrs to run. If I were negotiating for it now, in the current financial climate I would expect to pay 8-10k max.
However................until our friend replies with his potential destination, all this is just hot-air, isn't it? He could be heading for Ponda or Mapusa, Saligao or Margao, who knows?
J5
ps Your opinion on the Saligao school fees agrees with mine, my friend in Vagator said that the fees in Vasco, plus the cost of daily travel, are less than she was paying, and for a better education. Her other main problem was the length of the summer holidays that were getting very close to the duration of the monsoon (June - September inc). Their excuse was that it was to fit in with Europeans who leave Goa for that period. She did not agree!

johnny five · Feb 8th, 2009, 12:02

So Adamjamil,
Are you going totell us your potential area of residence in Goa or have you changed your mind completely?
J5

adamjamil · Feb 9th, 2009, 13:29

thank you for the information

i would look to move near saligo area

johnny five · Feb 9th, 2009, 17:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by adamjamil

thank you for the information

i would look to move near saligo area

In that case, almost all the above info is relevant, but Saligao itself can be a bit pricey as it has always (last 10-15 years) been popular with ex-pats.
Not sure why?
J5

carlaeb · Feb 9th, 2009, 18:26

I lived in Saligao my first two months in Goa. My opinion is because it is pretty and quiet. Tourists don't get out there as much, and it's really green and lush. Lots of places to take long country walks.

But keep in mind that you will have to commute a lot into town. You can do basic shopping in Saligao (milk, bread, onions, etc) but for groceries you'll have to go into town. Also, there isn't much to do in Saligao. It's a ways from the beach, and there aren't as many popular restaurants or clubs. Still I liked it there.

Johnny Five, no offense whatsoever! I just didn't want to give misleading advice.

Feb 5th, 2009, 16:50	#1
adamjamil Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: cheltenham Posts: 3	living on 35 000 irp a month and euro school goa hello i am new to this site and wondered if anyone could help me out. i have a chance of moving from the uk to goa and starting a job with a salary of 35 000 a month would this allow me to have a decent standard of living in goa, thinking that i would have to find a place to rent from this money? i was also wondering if anyone had any thoughts/information about the european school goa. i am thinking of enrolling my son in the school he is 10 and would be in primary education following the english national curriculum. any help info would be great cheers

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Feb 5th, 2009, 17:16	#2
LilBoy BigTown Visionary Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 636	I am a novice as far as Goa goes, but I suspect that amount of money wouldn't be enough to sustain yourself. When you bring your son into the equation, it gets even more difficult. International schools in India could cost just as much as they would in Europe or America, perhaps a bit more. If you were on your own, and housing was taken care off, then you could perhaps live on 35,000 a month. There are plenty of Goa experts here. Hang around and they'll be on to it soon.

Feb 5th, 2009, 17:17	#3
LilBoy BigTown Visionary Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sydney Posts: 636	And yeah, Welcome to IM.

Feb 5th, 2009, 17:42	#4
carlaeb I can change my title?!! (...nothing witty to say) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Candolim Posts: 526	Hi. This depends on what you consider a decent standard of living and whether or not you have any other income or plan to use savings to supplement, etc. You can find very small and very cheap places to live in Goa- like an efficiency apartment without a kitchen. But by "decent standard of living" I'm assuming you'd want a two bedroom place for you and your son that has a regular bathroom, shower, and full kitchen. I'm also assuming you'd want a living room and to live in a decent area. Around the European School, I think you need to expect to pay 10K for that on the low end (if you are really lucky) and 30K on the high end. Most likely, it will cost you between 15-20. Then, on top of that, you'll have to pay tuition at the European School. I'm not sure how much it is exactly, but I've heard it isn't cheap. I'm not sure where your job is, but the European school is in Saligao, and there isn't much around there in terms of shopping, restaurants, etc, and the beach is a bit farther away. So either you will have to live closer to town and commute to school every day, or you'll have to live closer to school and commute to town. Then you have to consider where your job is. The commute is not far at all, just a handful of miles, and there won't be traffic most of the time. I bring it up because you will either have to purchase a scooter or take taxis (you won't be able to purchase a car on that salary). These little expenses can add up. A rickshaw from the European school to downtown Calangute costs about 60 rupees which doesn't sound like much, but if you are doing it twice a day M-F that's 2,000 a month. So it adds up. Depending on how responsible your son is and how far away your job is, there is also the cheaper (and healthy!) option of buying bikes and cycling everywhere. You can probably find someone to carpool with also. Groceries are really cheap. If you eat mostly vegetarian and cook seasonal foods from the market yourself, you can eat well for 2-3K a week, but eating out adds up really fast. Then you have to factor in the little expenses like purchasing all your consumable water or purchasing a water filter. Washing your clothes will cost another 500 a month, and you'll probably want cell phones which can add up little by little if you make lots of calls. Then, you'll probably go to the Internet cafe which will cost you another 50 rupees every hour. And I'm sure you'll sometimes eat out or go shopping or have to buy clothes or get a haircut, and all those things will add up a bit. In short, if you are really cheap, I think you can do it (dependent on the tuition cost), but you will have to live really simply and pinch those rupees so I don't know if you'd call that a decent lifestyle! I recommend having something saved up for in case one of you falls ill or you need to return. You will not be able to save money on that income, and you should not come without a safety net at all on that income. ADDED: On second thought, once you add the tuition cost, no I don't think you can do it unless you have another source of income. You won't have enough left after rent, food, other expenses to pay tuition unless it is ridiculously low, which I'm sure it is not. Sorry my math skills are not so great!

Feb 6th, 2009, 12:48	#6
carlaeb I can change my title?!! (...nothing witty to say) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Candolim Posts: 526	Johnny Five is right. I didn't think about it, but I've only looked in our area- on the beach, in town, with a yard for the dog and broadband for my husband's work and my IM addiction. I think I said to plan 15-20, but planning to spend 10 on your accommodation is probably a better budget. I know people who pay less than that too, but they do not have nice two bedrooms with kitchen, etc. Maybe everyone I know is just rich? When you get here and start looking for a place, do not go through a broker. They want a TON of money, and the fact that you have a broker tells the landlord that he can increase the rent. Instead, just ask around the locals and stress that you have a local job, local income and will stay all year. Everyone here knows everyone else, and you will find a place this way more quickly and more cheaply. Anyway, the reason I'm posting on this thread again is that I checked into the tuition at European School of Goa- well, I asked someone who used to work there. She said that the tuition is extremely high. (She told me the exact price , but I don't feel comfortable posting it here in case for some reason it is incorrect or in case it changes or the directors work with people on an income based level. I don't want to be responsible for a Google search that incorrectly gives information about a business!) But I suggest you call the school and find out straight from the horse's mouth. If you can afford it somehow, you might want to also compare the price to prestigious schools like Shri Ram in Gurgaon- very competitive and considered one of the best schools in India- so that you can get a better picture of how much you are paying.

Feb 6th, 2009, 14:13	#7
johnny five Survivor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Goa Posts: 730	Thank you Carlaeb, I hope you didn't think I was just being argumentative? I agree that a house in the Calangute/Candolim area will be expensive, but an apartment will not be as there are thousands available and an all year round tenant is like gold dust! Personally, having seen how dead that area is out of season, I would not want to stay there all year as you get the worst of both worlds with the crowds in season. Here in Siolim I can get to several nice beaches in less than 15 mins, Mapusa for shopping in 10, and an easy walk to local shops, bank and post office where all daily essentials can be found. We have a detached, large, 3 double bedroom, 2 reception, 2 bathroom and large kitchen, double garage and large compound, all in excellent green surroundings and we pay 11k per month all year on a five year lease that has 2 yrs to run. If I were negotiating for it now, in the current financial climate I would expect to pay 8-10k max. However................until our friend replies with his potential destination, all this is just hot-air, isn't it? He could be heading for Ponda or Mapusa, Saligao or Margao, who knows? J5 ps Your opinion on the Saligao school fees agrees with mine, my friend in Vagator said that the fees in Vasco, plus the cost of daily travel, are less than she was paying, and for a better education. Her other main problem was the length of the summer holidays that were getting very close to the duration of the monsoon (June - September inc). Their excuse was that it was to fit in with Europeans who leave Goa for that period. She did not agree!

Feb 8th, 2009, 12:02	#8
johnny five Survivor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Goa Posts: 730	So Adamjamil, Are you going totell us your potential area of residence in Goa or have you changed your mind completely? J5

Feb 9th, 2009, 13:29	#9
adamjamil Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: cheltenham Posts: 3	thank you for the information i would look to move near saligo area

Feb 9th, 2009, 18:26	#11
carlaeb I can change my title?!! (...nothing witty to say) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Candolim Posts: 526	I lived in Saligao my first two months in Goa. My opinion is because it is pretty and quiet. Tourists don't get out there as much, and it's really green and lush. Lots of places to take long country walks. But keep in mind that you will have to commute a lot into town. You can do basic shopping in Saligao (milk, bread, onions, etc) but for groceries you'll have to go into town. Also, there isn't much to do in Saligao. It's a ways from the beach, and there aren't as many popular restaurants or clubs. Still I liked it there. Johnny Five, no offense whatsoever! I just didn't want to give misleading advice.