Accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Most expats move to Saudi Arabia on lucrative employment contracts that include free or heavily subsidised housing, furniture, and utilities.

Traditionally, expat housing in Saudi Arabia takes the form of Western-style compound living. With high demand for spots in these compounds, however, more foreigners have started renting housing from the local market.

Navigating the rental markets in Saudi Arabian cities is not easy. Even though agents and landlords generally communicate well in English, most of the documents remain in Arabic. For this reason, it is always best for expats to enlist the help of their employer, an agent, or a property lawyer when looking to rent property in Saudi Arabia.

Types of accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Expat compounds

Saudi Arabian expat compounds first emerged in the early 1980s as a way for the expat community to maintain the lifestyle they were familiar with, despite the country’s conservative Islamic law.

Complexes can vary in size from small groupings of houses to sprawling collections of villas. These residences are walled and guarded, and lauded by expats for their ability to provide an assortment of amenities.

This type of housing can come furnished and fully equipped for residents to move in and out with ease. On-site facilities can include swimming pools, tennis courts, libraries, shopping centres, restaurants, and even schools.

In addition to the creature comforts that the self-contained space allows, the neighbourhoods also cultivate opportunities for expats to meet others who share their culture and language, and to create relationships that ease their transition into new communities.

As these compounds are in increasingly high demand, accommodation in a compound can be hard to attain – waiting lists can stretch anywhere from six to 18 months. Additionally, a full year's rent must typically be paid upfront before tenants are able to move in.

Most expats moving to Saudi Arabia for work will have some kind of accommodation benefit included in their contract. Many companies keep a number of houses in a particular compound for their own employees and in some cases, rent is entirely paid for and organised by the employer. The downside of this is less choice, but it certainly eases the process.

In other cases, companies may be willing to pay the year's rent upfront on behalf of the employee, with the understanding that the money will be paid back through a monthly salary deduction. Expats should make sure they know the full details of any accommodation benefits offered by their employer.

Housing in local neighbourhoods

Beyond the high walls of the expat compounds, new arrivals will find the hustle and bustle of Saudi Arabian residential areas. Expats who don't want to live in a compound have the option of renting in a local neighbourhood. Typically, expats would then rent an apartment or villa.

First, expats should decide which neighbourhood will best suit their needs. Then they should spend time driving through the area and looking for 'For Rent' signs outside villas. Property owners will often advertise a vacancy in this manner rather than listing with local realtors. Consulting with local merchants in the area is also a good way to identify availability and get the best deal possible.

Villas and apartments in Saudi Arabia vary in price depending on size, location and amenities. When looking for housing in Saudi Arabia, expats should bring a native Arabic speaker along to help field enquiries and establish trust between all the negotiating parties.

Furnished vs unfurnished

Accommodation in Saudi Arabia is generally furnished. However, the definition of 'furnished' can differ greatly – it can simply include some basic items of furniture or have a full provision of items including bedding, cutlery and crockery.

Short-term lets

Short-term lets for a few weeks or months are not common in Saudi Arabia, and most rental agreements are for longer periods. However, some furnished apartments may be available for shorter-term leases, particularly in larger cities and tourist destinations.

Useful links

• Airbnb
• Cozycozy

Finding accommodation in Saudi Arabia

In most cases, the stress of finding accommodation is not an issue for expats in Saudi Arabia, as their employer will handle it. In rare cases where an expat is looking for a place on their own steam, they can begin their search online. 

Online portals will give expats an idea of what is available and what facilities are provided by each complex. Websites such as Real Estate Saudi and Bayut can be good resources. You could also browse expat groups on social media sites for advice, or get advice from work colleagues and other expats once you arrive in Saudi Arabia.

The best option, though, is to enlist the services of a real estate agent. These professionals are knowledgeable about the property market of the given city and can advise on which complexes are most suitable. Some compounds are highly popular and operate waiting lists. The advantage of using an estate agent is that they may have connections that enable their clients to find out about potential openings in such places.

Useful links

• Real Estate Saudi
• Bayut

Renting accommodation in Saudi Arabia

Signing a lease

To be valid in court, all leases in Saudi Arabia must be registered on Ejar, an electronic services network created by the Ministry of Housing (MOH). 

The network is designed to streamline communication between tenants, agents, and owners. The MOH has also issued a standard lease template known as the Ejar Unified Contract – to register a lease on the platform, users are required to make use of this standard lease format.

Applications

Landlords or property management companies may ask for references from previous landlords or their employers. Certain documents may also be requested, including proof of identification, earnings, and employment. Additionally, some landlords may conduct background checks to ensure that tenants have a clean criminal record. 

Deposits

Rent is typically paid either annually, twice a year or once every two months. In addition to paying a determined amount of rent upfront, tenants are normally required to provide a refundable deposit that is equal to one or two months' rent. In the event of damage to the property, furniture or appliances, the landlord will be entitled to use this security deposit for repairs.

Before moving in, make sure you inspect your potential new home carefully. It is wise to hire an engineer to check electrical wiring and plumbing. While this may appear to be an unnecessary hassle, landlords in Saudi Arabia can be neglectful once they’ve received their annual payment upfront.

Terminating a lease

In Saudi Arabia, tenants are typically required to give at least one month's notice before terminating a lease agreement. Additionally, landlords may have the right to terminate the lease in certain situations, such as if the tenant fails to pay rent on time or damages the property.

Useful links

• Ejar

Utilities in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, the rent for compounds usually includes all basic utilities such as water, gas, electricity, telephone line rental, and internet. Service charges such as cleaning and maintenance of communal areas of the complex are also often included in the cost.

If you're living in an independent villa or apartment, utilities will likely be paid separately. To do so, you'll have to coordinate with a few different suppliers, most of them state-run public companies. Much of the required admin can be done online.

Electricity

The country's power supply is managed by Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). Their comprehensive website has English resources, so it's fairly easy to manage your electricity. The website includes options to open an account as well as view and pay bills.

Gas

Gas in Saudi Arabia tends to come in the form of canisters. Once empty, the canister is swapped out with a full one. The National Gas and Industrialization Company (GASCO) is the main provider of this service. Rarely, homes may have piped-in gas, in which case a private company is usually used.

Water

Water is supplied by the National Water Company (NWC). You’ll need to register to connect to the water supply. This is a fairly straightforward process and can be done online.

Waste removal and recycling

The local municipal council removes solid waste, using a local garbage collection process, while recycling tends to be managed through private companies.

Useful links

• SEC
• GASCO
• NWC