Just Landed in Saudi Arabia? Your First 7 Days

Saudi Arabia has excellent, fast 4G and 5G coverage across all cities and along major highways, and connection speeds are among the best in the region. Prepaid SIMs are sold at the airport, in malls and at telecom shops, but they must be registered to your passport and then re-linked to your Iqama; a number can only stay active for a limited time on a visitor passport before an Iqama is required. Home fibre broadband from STC, Mobily or Zain is widely available and usually arranged once you have a tenancy contract.

Typical cost: Prepaid data bundles run around SAR 100-200 per month for generous data; unlimited or high-cap postpaid plans start near SAR 150-250, and home fibre packages are roughly SAR 200-400 monthly.

The riyal is pegged to the US dollar at roughly 3.75 SAR to 1 USD, so exchange rates barely move and budgeting is predictable. There is no personal income tax, though a 15% VAT applies to most goods and services. Card and mobile payments through mada, Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted almost everywhere in the cities, and contactless is the default.

Opening an account: You generally cannot open a full bank account until you have an Iqama. Al Rajhi Bank, Riyad Bank, SNB (Saudi National Bank), SAB and Alinma are the common choices; salary is paid through the account your employer helps you open under the Wage Protection System (WPS), which is designed to ensure workers are paid on time. Digital-first options such as STC Pay are handy for transfers and remittances once you are set up.

Cash: Daily life is largely cashless in cities thanks to the mada debit network and mobile wallets, but keep some cash for small neighbourhood shops, taxis in smaller towns, tips and street vendors. ATMs are plentiful and reliable.

Tipping: Tipping (baksheesh) is customary but modest: round up or leave 10-15% in restaurants if no service charge is added, and hand a few riyals to porters, valets, petrol attendants and delivery riders.

Your legal presence in Saudi Arabia is tied to the Iqama (residence permit), which your employer or sponsor must obtain for you; you cannot self-register independently of a sponsor. Your address, employment and personal details are held through the sponsor and the Absher and Muqeem systems, and your Iqama number becomes the single identifier for banking, healthcare, tenancy, SIM cards and travel. Keep your Iqama valid and renewed, as an expired or cancelled Iqama quickly cuts off access to services and can affect your legal status.

Deadline: The Iqama must be issued within 90 days of entry, but employers typically complete it within the first few weeks once your medical exam and fingerprinting are done.

Where: Handled by your employer through Jawazat (the General Directorate of Passports) and the Absher and Muqeem online platforms; you attend in person only for biometrics and the medical test.

Cities are car-centric with very cheap petrol, so most expats drive or rely on ride-hailing. The new Riyadh Metro opened progressively from 2024 with six lines and is a genuine game-changer for the capital, using the Darb card and app. Intercity travel is served by the Haramain High-Speed Railway between Jeddah, Mecca, Medina and King Abdullah Economic City, and by SAR trains linking Riyadh, Dammam and the north. Women can drive and hold Saudi licences.

From the airport: From Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport (RUH), Uber and Careem to the city centre cost roughly SAR 60-100 and take 30-45 minutes; the Riyadh Metro also connects to the airport. In Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) links to the city and to the Haramain railway station, and in Dammam, King Fahd International Airport (DMM) is served by ride-hailing. A single Riyadh Metro Darb card costs about SAR 10, a 2-hour fare is SAR 4, and a 30-day pass is SAR 140.

Many employers provide housing or a housing allowance; otherwise expats rent villas or apartments, often within gated compounds that offer pools, gyms and a more relaxed social atmosphere. Aqar and Bayut are the main listing platforms, and using a licensed broker is common. Ejar, the government tenancy platform, registers your lease and protects both sides, so insist your contract is documented through it.

Typical rent: A one-bedroom flat in Riyadh or Jeddah runs roughly SAR 2,000-4,500 per month; family villas and compound units are far more, often SAR 8,000 and well above per month depending on location and facilities.

Deposit norm: Rent is traditionally paid annually or in a couple of large instalments up front, though monthly and quarterly options are spreading. Expect a deposit of around one month, a 15% VAT on the rent, and a broker fee (often equivalent to one month or 2.5%). Register the lease on Ejar and check what utilities and cooling are included.

Private healthcare is the norm for expats and is generally high quality in the major cities, with modern hospitals and short waits at private facilities. Employers are legally required to provide private medical insurance for you, and often for dependants, under the Cooperative Health Insurance scheme regulated by the Council of Health Insurance.

How to access it: Present your insurance card and Iqama at private hospitals such as Dr Sulaiman Al Habib, Saudi German or Kingdom Hospital; book through the hospital's own app or via the Sehhaty and Mawid government apps, which also handle appointments, prescriptions and referrals. For anything serious, larger private hospitals have well-equipped emergency departments.

Insurance: Employer-provided private cover is mandatory and tied to your Iqama, but plans vary widely; basic policies have annual caps and may exclude maternity, dental or pre-existing conditions. Check exactly what your policy covers for you and any dependants, and consider topping up privately if you have specific needs.

• Dress modestly: men avoid shorts in formal settings, and women should cover shoulders and knees; the full abaya is no longer legally required but conservative, loose clothing is expected in public.
• During the five daily prayer times many shops and restaurants pause service or close for roughly 20-30 minutes, so plan errands and meals around the prayer schedule.
• Use your right hand for eating, greeting and passing items, as the left hand is considered unclean.
• Respect Ramadan: do not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours, as this is illegal for everyone including non-Muslims, and keep it discreet even indoors when among those who fast.
• Greet with 'As-salamu alaykum'; men should wait for a woman to extend her hand first, as many people prefer not to shake hands across genders.
• Accept hospitality graciously, especially offers of Arabic coffee (gahwa) and dates, and expect business and social life to move at a relationship-led, patient pace.
• Learn a few Arabic phrases and numerals; even basic effort is warmly received and helps with signs, forms and smaller shops.

• Alcohol, drugs, pork and sexual relationships outside marriage carry serious penalties; drug trafficking can bring the death penalty.
• Do not photograph people (especially women), government buildings, palaces or military sites without clear permission.
• Public criticism of the government, the royal family or religion, including posts and comments on social media, is a criminal offence.
• Public displays of affection, aggressive gestures and profanity can lead to fines or detention.
• Non-Muslims must not enter the holy cities of Mecca and Medina beyond the marked boundaries.