Moving from India to Iringa

Hello,

I am a Canadian who has lived in Iringa for a number of years and has loved being there very much.  While I am back in Canada now completing some studies, I wouldn't dream of going anywhere else than Iringa when I finish.  You are in for a real treat as Iringa is a wonderful place.

I'm assuming that you will be working with ASAS Dairies as they are the only dairy company in Iringa that I can think of.  They produce all the yoghurt and milk in the region (and supply to the whole country).  They are a well respected and generous company and the owners are very involved in the community and as such are very well liked.  They have a reputation of really taking care of their employees and they are very well connected in town (some would say they are the Kings of Iringa!!) so you should have no problem with them.

As for the cost of living in Iringa, it is not that high.  Because Iringa is a strategic region along the main highway in Tanzania it benefits from agricultural products from all areas thus keeping food prices low.  Your salary should be more than sufficient to build a comfortable life for yourself. 

There is a fairly large Indian population in town as well and they have their own places of worship and community life.  I used to live on Uhindini street (in downtown near the market) and all of my neighbors were mostly of Indian origin.  Many of the main shops in town are owned by Indians so you should have no trouble finding a peer group.  I am less familiar if there are their own schools, but with many of the top schools in the region, I think they can find adequate educational opportunities.

If you have any more questions about Iringa, feel free to ask me.  If I don't know the answer, I at least have a number of people I can get the information from. 

You are in for a wonderful journey and you have a great opportunity before you.  I wish you all the best!

Iringa Hello Guys,
Thnx RUTZ
Need some more help,
hope you are doing well!
i am from india and got an offer from one Tanzania  company for 2000 USD+ furnished Bachelor Accommodation, Car & Driver, 1 month paid leave with return ticket while bachelor stay after 11 months and with family 45 days paid leave with  return ticket including wife and family after 2 year. i ll be taking my family here after a year.
my questions & doubts:-
1- does furnished bachelor accommodation include kitchen, Television & cable and internet etc will it be included all the bills like electricity, water etc.?whats the position of Electricity,Water,security etc ?
2- how about medical expenses in iringa? like Dr. fees and cost of general medicine.
3-how about Schooling since my daughter will be in class 1st while my family moves there, and school fees for any good Indian school?
4- cost of 1 ltr. whiskey but not very expensive could be any good local brand? 
5- how much would be my average food expenses for a month? i am not a night club or a party lover guy.
6- will 200-250 USD will be fine for my food and general expenses?
7- Once my family moved- wife, elder son 16 yrs ,  younger daughter 8 month, will i be able to save any money out of 2000 USD including school fees for both?

Hello,

In Iringa, the school that most expat children attend is the Iringa International School.  It is located in a popular area where most expats live (Gangilonga) but people certainly live in other places (as did I when I was there).  They have a website with more information at iis.ac.tz/.  In addition to this, Salim Abri (The Director of the ASAS group where I assume you will be working) is on the school board there and would be likely able to answer all your questions regarding the schooling options available.  They do study foreign curriculums so they may have an equivalent option for what is taught in Indian schools. 

As for what your furnished place includes, that might be something you need to ask specifically.  Accommodations tend to be quite minimalistic so you would likely want to check if you have specific needs.  A lot of people have televisions so they tend to be quite inexpensive.  Most people buy a satellite dish along with it and then do not have a monthly bill associated with it.  You are also able to select what channels you want from a technician and I know that there are lots of Indian options.  Internet, depending where you live will be intermittent at times.  It seems to work better in town but it is slowly improving.  The last time I was back, I found it helpful just using it from my phone (so going with a phone that can be a mobile hot-spot might be worth considering).  Phones are almost exclusively pay-as-you-go but there so many good deals available (like 500 minutes to anywhere in the world for 5,000 TSH - $5 USD approximately).  Water availability has improved dramatically and it relatively inexpensive.  I lived alone and my bill was usually no more than $5 USD per month.  Electricity can be variable depending on the season as it is sourced from a hydroelectric dam but it too is usually very affordable.  If I remember correctly it cost me maybe $20 USD a month but I used it very minimally.

Iringa is a generally safe town because it can be quite a small community.  This might sound a little odd, but most people stick to their own unless you make an intentional effort to get to know them.  The majority of people there will only speak Swahili, so part of this is due to language.  I was pretty outgoing and met a lot of people who I felt always had my back and were looking out for me so I always felt safe and never had any incidents.  My advice is just to be kind to people and to learn at least some simple greetings.

In Iringa there is a government hospital (which can be quite busy) and an Aga Khan hospital which may cost a little more (I think something like $10 USD to see the doctor - while the other ones are free or somewhere around $2 USD).  Medication is also widely available and can be obtained without prescription.  Most of the medicine is sourced from either India or the UK so it is generally safe.  I usually avoid medication made in-country.  Medication is usually inexpensive.  I think for malaria medication the best kind might cost around $15 USD so it is pretty affordable for expat standards.

For me, I found food to be really inexpensive.  It might cost something like $1 USD per kg of rice and a whole chicken might cost $6 USD.  I found that I ate out a lot because of time and because it is very affordable.  A decent meal can be had for $5 USD while at places like Sai Villa (popular with expats) it might cost $15 USD at the most.  Neema Crafts is also popular with expats and it has pretty wide-ranging food.  Hasty Tasty is actually owned by people of Indian origin who have lived in Tanzania for a long time so they would be great connections. 

I am not sure about liquor prices, but I think a beer might cost around $2-3 USD.  They do have a lot of local varieties of beer and spirits so it tends to be quite affordable.  Iringa is a bit of a sleepy town at night.  There are some clubs and also people go out to bar type places to watch English Premier Soccer (that is very popular there!!)

Also, another common thing that seems to happen in expat (and Tanzanian  homes) is that people seem to use/have house-help.  When your family comes and if you find that it is challenging to maintain a home, then likely your employer would know how you could find someone to help around your home.  I never needed that because I lived alone and had simple needs but it always an option.

Feel free to keep the questions coming.  When I lived there, I lived very simply and 'with' the people more.  I was able to survive on a very meager salary of around $200 USD per month.....so it is likely to be very possible for you to live will and very comfortable on your salary, even when your family comes.

Thanks Ruth
for providing me the details
if I take the job in this dairy ,this will a worth decision ,
should not regret because now I want to settle down at one place either in India or abroad,
please advice
and what other things ,should I ask from the employer
Regards

Dear Ruth
the company is ASAS Group
pl answer the last message which I posted
Regards

Sorry for the late reply to your post. I completely believe that Iringa is a place that you can put down roots and I know of many people who have started wonderful new beginnings there. I believe that you are in very good hands with the ASAS group as they are very well integrated in town and are very loyal and fair with their employees. I know they will treat you and your family very well and you will be most comfortable. Perhaps you can ask them if there is anything they recommend you bring with you when you go. Many items can be found in the big city of Dar es Salaam but modern conveniences and electronics can be quite pricey. Aside from that if you are flexible and have the ability sometimes to laugh and if you can see this as an incredible adventure for both you and your family you will do fine. My only other recommendation is to ask about language training or take it upon yourself to learn some basic swahili. Not only with this help in getting around but it will also deepen your relationships with people. Iringa is a beautiful place with a lovely climate but the people are the best part by far.

If you ever need any advice or help with anything just let me know. I have many many connections with people still there and I would love to be of any assistance. One day I know I will see you and your family on the streets of Iringa.

Ruth

Thnx Ruth for your excellent suggestions and advice
if need more suggestion I will be in touch with you
if all in my favor and if finalize will see you in Iringa
again thanks