Saudi Arabia as your new home
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live in Saudi Arabia? Or have you ever considered Riyadh as a must-see destination? Well in that case, stick around as we give you a few inputs on life in Saudi.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extends across most of the northern and central Arabian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in the Middle East.
Riyadh, in Arabic Al-Riyāḍ., is the capital of KSA. Its name derives from Arabic Rawdah, meaning gardens and meadows. It is safe to say that Riyadh is one of the few cities that transformed from small, fortified desert village into the modern metropolis as we know it today. Even though it lacks the glamour of its neighboring Emirates, it is swamped with heritage and culture, great outdoor activities and delicious local food.
Foreigners make up almost half of the city’s population and with a hugely ambitious national economic and social reform program (Vision 2030) currently in implementation, the Kingdom is moving into a new era that will benefit locals and foreigners.
So, what are the significant pros of life in Riyadh?
Well, let’s start with the first thing that everyone who’s considering moving to another country searches for – jobs and salaries. Of course, one of the most looked for things regarding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are the healthy salaries with the prospect of no income tax. In addition, mainly expats/foreigners can easily find opportunities in professional sectors such as banking, medicine, engineering, construction and IT services.
The second thing that comes to mind, especially for families considering KSA as the new home destination, is schools. Even though children of expats can’t attend state schools, excellent international schools are top-rated for Western expats because they keep students on the same academic track as their peers back home.
The third thing that we all look out for is – housing and accommodation.
Generally speaking, all expats in Riyadh live in compounds with apartments and villas found in the city’s northern and eastern suburbs. These apartments and villas in compounds are usually fully furnished. With facilities such as swimming pools, gyms, libraries, shopping centers, restaurants and even schools, compound life is very self-contained and some people rarely step outside the perimeter fence.
The fourth thing regarding Riyadh and KSA, in general, is the excellent healthcare facilities easily comparable to those in Western Europe and the USA. Saudi offers a good selection of public and private hospitals and clinics and excellent medication widely available in pharmacies across the country.
To top everything previously mentioned, we can add that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been ranked as the 28th happiest country in the world in 2021.
Join us next time, as we take a look into Saudi Arabia’s social and cultural lifestyle.
