Fianna
6/28/2018 00:46 EST
Hi everyone, husband has been offered a job in Nassau and I’m trying to figure out costs and living expenses.
Would a 10-11k salary be enough for a family of 4?( both kids need school). From what I’m reading Sandyport looks like the place I’d want to live in but the rents there seem pretty high
Thank you
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MrsQ
6/28/2018 08:33 EST
Hello,
I assume you mean a salary of 10-11k per month, right? I hate to say it, but that sounds rather low for a family of 4 here. Nassau has a very high cost of living. My husband's salary is about that per month and it's fine for us, but we have no children. We live in Sandyport and our rent for a nice 2-bedroom 2-bath is $3,500 per month. Our electricity bill has been running about $400 a month so far this summer (we have a gas stove that uses propane, so keep that in mind). Gas for vehicles is between $4 and $5 a gallon.
Food is very expensive here. When we made out our budget, we doubled what we would spend in the U.S. on groceries and eating out. A few examples of what you'll spend in the grocery store - $11 for Breyers ice cream, anywhere from $8-$10 a pound for boneless chicken breasts, $7-$8 for name-brand cleaners like Windex, $10 for a can of Lysol. I'm sure you're aware that we pay a 7.5% sales tax (called VAT) on everything including food. Parliament just voted to increase the VAT to 12% effective July 1st. There is a wholesale type club store called Cost Right and some other wholesalers here where you can get better deals on stuff.
As for eating out, expect to spend $50-60 for lunch for 2 (sandwiches and soft drinks) and $80-$100 for dinner for 2 at a nice but not fancy restaurant (a shared appetizer, two nice entrees, and a shared dessert - no alcohol). If you like local food, you can eat relatively cheaply at the restaurants at the Fish Fry. The prices at American fast food places like Wendy's and Popeye's here are comparable to those in the U.S. To be honest, a lot of the restaurants on the island serve just okay food, unless you really spend a lot of money and eat at the resorts or other upscale restaurants. I love to cook, so we save money by not going out to eat anywhere near as often as we did in the U.S.
Sorry for the long-winded and somewhat pessimistic answer, but I just wanted you to know what you'd be getting into if you decide to move here.
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bergie
6/28/2018 14:59 EST
Hi! I would also agree this is not enough to live comfortable on the island. This might be workable if you also get a housing allowance of $4k-$5k to cover rent and utilities. Like the PP said everything costs quite a bit there. We thought we would be able to save a lot more than we ended up being able to, one of the factors was that groceries and dining out were super expensive. I have no idea how expensive schooling is but the salary should work if you also receive $$ for housing. Best of luck.
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MrsQ
6/29/2018 09:01 EST
Yes, I should have mentioned that my husband's employers gives us a stipend each month that covers our rent, with a little extra leftover. Also, here are a couple of other things to keep in mind when coming up with your budget and negotiating salary. If you are an American, you will still be required to pay into Social Security and Medicare. Also, there is Bahamian National Insurance Board insurance that all people working in the Bahamas are required to pay, regardless of citizenship. The rate is 3.9% of your salary. That is something we didn't know about/plan for when we did our budget. Apparently, we should get a tax credit for what we paid into the Bahamian system when we file our American taxes, and they will take that amount off of our Social Security/Medicare obligation and give us a possible refund.
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breija
6/29/2018 09:52 EST
Hi Fianna,
I don’t know where you are moving from, or what your citizenship is, but it will be important for you to learn what your tax responsibilities are. If you are an American citizen, but no longer a resident (which would be the case if you moved here and claimed residency here), I believe that the first $90,000 you earn outside the country (I am not sure about this number) is not taxed. This would make a difference.
The cost of living is high here, but it also depends upon how you choose to live. As others have suggested, it is expensive to eat out. However, if you eat in mostly, then it is much less of an issue. If you grocery shop carefully, you can cut costs a bit.
Rents for decent homes for a family of 4 could run from $2,500 + in the Cable Beach area, which does include Sandyport. There are properties in Sandyport that can be rented for $3,000 that I think you would be quite satisfied with. Again, as others have suggested, it would certainly be wise to ask your husband’s potential employer for a housing allowance.
As for schools – what ages are your children? There are a number of options for schools, and I can provide you with options if you provide their ages. There are expats who will also request school fee allowance, as these are typically not expenses that they would have had back home.
These requests would not be unusual, and the worst things that would happen is that the employer declines. If you don’t ask, you won’t get.
If you are living month to month, it may be difficult.
If you can make it work, it can be an amazing experience! Hope it works out for you.
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Fianna
6/29/2018 11:07 EST
Thank you for the input!
We are not American so taxes are not that much of a worry. We currently live in Asia and moving to the Caribbean sounded interesting but the more I look into it the more I change my mind about it. It’s clear that we need a better deal in order to make the move viable.
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breija
6/29/2018 17:38 EST
Yes, it is very different if you are not American. Given that you live in Asia, you will likely find that the cost of living is much higher here. That said, you also can have a different quality of life as a family, if being in the Caribbean offers the lifestyle you think you would like.
Do not discount what I said about asking for housing and school fee allowances, though! You just never know. Your husband's potential employer might be willing to negotiate.
Feel free to PM me with any other specific questions.
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breija
7/1/2018 13:40 EST
Hi Fianna,
I just found this link which provides more info about prices on some things here. https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/country/bahamas?currency=USD
I do not know how this list was compiled, but it seems fairly accurate. Keep in mind that VAT, which is likely included in these prices, has just increased as of today from 7.5% to 12%, so prices are slightly higher now. However, there are also some items that are now VAT free, and on which import duties have been decreased. For example, the following items are now VAT free -
Ø Butter
Ø Cooking Oil
Ø Mayonnaise
Ø Grits
Ø Cheese
Ø Corned Beef
Ø Evaporated Milk
Ø Margarine
Ø Rice
Ø Flour
Ø Bread
Ø Tomato Paste
Ø Baby Cereal
Ø Baby Formula
Ø Soup
Ø Broths
Ø Baby Food
Ø Powdered Detergents
Ø Condensed Milk
Ø Soaps
Ø Fresh Milk
Ø Mustard
medicines;
Hope this helps!
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debib
5/24/2019 10:14 EST
I am an American living here for the last 8 years. I am not required to pay into Social Security and Medicare while working here. However, keep in mind that when you don't pay in, you don't calculate these earning years into your payouts when you start to collect Social Security/medicare. Anyway - I live in Sandyport. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you.
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