There are also various ranges of allowable salaries and minimum wages across different kinds of work in different countries. For example, the minimum wage for migrant domestic worker based on ILO Convention 189 is US$ 400 and the following are the country-specific minimum wages for migrant domestic work:
- $439 in Singapore
- $431 in Qatar and Saudi Arabia
- $388 in Kuwait
- $556 in Hong Kong
In Qatar, the minimum wage for all – whether Qatari or foreigner – is $200; Saudi Arabia is $800; South Korea is $1468; Taiwan is $648.
Kindly note that in most countries where the salary is high, the cost of living is also high. For example, an apartment in a country in Asia costing around $200 may costs $400 in other countries in Europe or GCC with similar specifications (size, amenities, etc.). Same goes with food and daily needs.
The other factors you have to consider in weighing whether the earning will be commensurate to the costs of living are the following:
- Factor in the costs that you have spent prior to departure which includes the fees you paid for passport, training, medical examinations, security clearance, etc. and the fees you paid to the recruitment agency or overseas employment promoter
- If you have taken out loan in order to pay for the pre-departure requirements, you have to pay for them and in some cases, there will be interest rates that you also have to pay
- Consider the amount of remittance that you will send to your family; their needs and demands will also grow as time passes by
