As the birthplace of Islam and home to important religious sites, Saudi Arabia offers expats unique insights into Arab culture amid rapid modernization. This guide covers everything you need to know about living in the Kingdom.
Why Move to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia attracts expats for opportunities like:
- Lucrative tax-free salaries and job prospects, especially in fields like engineering, construction, oil & gas, and healthcare.
- Chance to visit holy Islamic sites like Mecca, Medina, and the Hajj pilgrimage. Umrah visas available.
- Experience the intersection of ancient tradition and rapid modernization driven by young Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
- Lavish, ultra-modern communities created for expats by ARAMCO and other major companies.
- Vibrant expat social life and travel opportunities around the region.
- Exotic desert landscapes and untouched Red Sea reefs waiting to be explored.
- Improve Arabic language skills and learn about the heart of Arab culture.
- Home to major investment projects like NEOM megapolis and high-tech diversification initiatives.
Living in Saudi Arabia: Pros and Cons
While intriguing Saudi Arabia has some challenges:
Pros :
- Lucrative tax-free salaries
- Unique Islamic cultural experience
- Rapid modernization initiatives
- Lavish accommodations for expats
- Vibrant expat social life
- Desert and Red Sea adventures
- Improve Arabic skills
- Hub of investment
Cons :
- Restrictive dress and behavior codes
- Limited entertainment and amenities
- Hot desert climate
- Bureaucracy and inefficiency
- Gender segregation in public
- Political and human rights issues
- Difficulty attaining permanent residence
- Access challenges to holy sites for non-Muslims
Saudi Arabia offers lucrative opportunities in exchange for adhering to traditional cultural norms and codes of conduct. An temporary adventure, not permanent relocation.
The Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has a moderate cost of living, especially given tax-free incomes:
- Housing – Lavish company provided accommodations or nice apartments/villas averaging 15,000—50,000 SAR ($4,000-$13,300) per month.
- Food – Groceries at hypermarkets like Carrefour about 2,000 SAR ($530) monthly for two. Local restaurants 30-50 SAR ($8-$13) per meal.
- Transportation – Taxis like Uber cost ~10-15 SAR ($3-$4) per 5km. Gasoline 0.50 SAR ($0.15) per liter. Car prices comparable to US.
- Utilities – Around 500 SAR ($130) per month for electricity, cooling, water, cable and internet.
- Healthcare – Excellent private healthcare. Premium insurance plans start around 500 SAR ($130) monthly.
- Education – International schools average 60,000-100,000 SAR ($16,000-$27,000) per year.
- Taxes – No personal income or sales tax. No capital gains or VAT. Only small expat levy.
Quality of Life in Saudi Arabia
Saudi offers good quality of life factors:
- Healthcare – Modern private healthcare competes internationally. But public infrastructure lacks.
- Infrastructure – Rapidly improving thanks to government modernization campaigns. Ultra-modern cities like Riyadh and Jubail. But rural areas still lacking.
- Safety & Security – Very low violent crime rates. But terrorism and repression issues persist. Tight internal security apparatus.
- Economy – Major oil producer transitioning to diversify. Unemployment still high. Male guardianship impedes women.
- Environment – Harsh desert climate. Water scarcity and pollution issues. But environmental protection efforts improving.
- Leisure & Culture – Activities segregated by gender. Most socializing occurs in homes. Malls and restaurants major pastimes.
A Beginner’s Guide to Saudi Culture
Key aspects of Saudi culture:
- Deeply conservative Islamic society. Public life strictly segregated by gender. Women require male guardian supervision.
- Importance of reputation and saving face. Elders are respected. Hospitality and generosity esteemed.
- Greetings elaborate and protracted. Handshakes common between same gender. Use right hand only.
- Religion and state tightly intertwined. Daily life follows strinct schedule of 5 daily prayers. Islam shapes public life.
- Traditional dress required in public. Thobes for men and abayas for women. Headcoverings expected.
- Family is paramount. Society organized by tribal lineage and extended families.
- Cuisine shares many flavors across Arab world – rice, flatbreads, shawarma, hummus, ful beans. No alcohol or pork.
- Leisure activities happen in homes. Gender mixing only allowed among families. Malls and restaurants main public spaces.
Best Places to Live in Saudi Arabia
Top locales for expats include:
- Riyadh – The capital and commercial center with most jobs and amenities. Ultra-modern.
- Jeddah – Cosmopolitan Red Sea port city known for multiculturalism and summer festivals.
- Dammam – Major oil hub in the Eastern Province and hub for ARAMCO expats.
- Al Khobar – Green city near Dammam popular with expats for dining and nightlife.
- Jubail – Planned industrial city with lavish amenities built around major oil refinery complex.
The gated communities of Saudi Arabia offer expats unique insights into the heart of Arab culture amidst rapid modernization initiatives transforming the country.
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