Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Report of what it's like to live there - 10/15/15
Personal Experiences from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
No - London.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Washington DC. 14 hours with connections.
3. How long have you lived here?
2 years
4. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
US Foreign Service
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Large townhouses. 5 minute walk to work. Meetings outside the DQ can take more than an hour to get to because of constant heavy traffic.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Lots of huge grocery stores (Carrefour, Tamimi, Hyperpanda). You can get a lot of American goods but it's more expensive because it's imported. Anything else we can't get, we just buy on Amazon.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
Every kind of American fast food is available, as well as American chain restaurants - tons and tons of restaurant options. More expensive than the US but it's not too bad.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
None.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
Embassy APO. But a lot of the mail and packages have to go through the Saudis, and they delayed and/or confiscated tons of our packages over Christmas.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Widely available. Everyone I know who had kids had a nanny, and everyone had a maid, some live-in, some once a week. Very cheap
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
Very small gym at the Embassy. All gyms are single-sex. The ladies gyms on the DQ and outside the DQ are extremely expensive and the workout classes are a joke.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards accepted most places.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
Catholic mass, but it's under the radar. No churches. Religions other than Islam are illegal.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
None- everyone speaks English
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
Yes, it would be extremely difficult. There are no sidewalks in downtown Riyadh. The diplomatic quarter has constant construction and the sidewalks are always broken.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
No trains, no buses. Most women have drivers.
2. What kind of car do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car do you advise not to bring?
Huge SUV's. Women cannot drive!
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Yes, STC, Mobily. Sometimes the internet was good, other times it was very slow and would freeze often. You need a VPN because everything is blocked.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
STC is terrible but there aren't very many options.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
There is no bilateral work agreement between US and Saudi so spouses cannot work on the local economy unless they gave up their diplomatic immunity.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Women have to wear a black robe called an abaya and a head scarf in order to keep a low profile. No shorts for men or women. You will get stared at either way.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
There is very little to no crime, but there is always the looming threat of terrorism and attacks against Westerners. Keep a low profile when you are outside of the diplomatic quarter.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
Ok medical care. Health concerns from sandstorms - asthma. Nosebleeds from the extremely dry weather. buy the best humidifier you can for bedrooms.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Absolutely terrible part of the year - Sandstorm season is awful. But, the winters are lovely - the weather is a bit cooler and more bearable. It rains heavily for a few days maybe once or twice a year and the roads flood and people get into accidents because they are not used to driving in the rain. Stay indoors!
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
dust, everywhere, all the time.
5. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
Winter is great - cooler weather, clear skies. Summers are unbearable and Saudis usually leave for the entire summer because it is so hot. Very dry heat, no humidity at all. Normally around 115F in the summer.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Large, poor morale.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
Nothing. Travel outside of Saudi.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
It seems that families prefer this posting. Single men have an easier time meeting women because there is more freedom of movement for men here. Single women - if you are looking to date, don't come here. Single women have it the worst - can't drive, very difficult to meet men, the religious police will harass you if you go out without covering your hair.
4. Is this a good city for LGBT expatriates? Why or why not?
everything here is under the radar - you cannot be open about your sexuality here.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
Yes. If you are Asian or African-American the Saudis will question whether you are actually a diplomat! They assume you are not. Caucasian men have it the easiest here. Women are treated as second-class citizens.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
You have to really work hard to get outside of the American community and diplomatic circuit to meet Saudis. The Saudis I have met have been extremely kind, welcoming, and generous. Really great people. But, it is very difficult to make friends with them. The diplomatic community is huge and since there is not much to do here, you can easily become friends with other diplomats and even ambassadors of other countries. As a junior-level officer this was a pretty cool perk.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Nothing. There are a lot of malls (very expensive) and restaurants (extremely expensive, no alcohol). Pretty much every American restaurant is here. Hidden gems - not really, but going out to the desert to camp is nice once in awhile but it gets old.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Saudi coffee and dates. Bateel dates are the best.
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Not much. You can save money because there isn't really a lot to do here (no cinemas, clubs, bars, etc). There is a lot of time off for the various Islamic holidays so many people travel often. It is easy to travel to other countries - lots of direct flights out of Riyadh to Asia and Europe. Other than that, there is not much to do here. It gets really boring.
10. Can you save money?
Yes.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I didn't realize how bad it was for women. I was more afraid of the religious police before I came - the religious police will yell at you, but it's not that big of a deal, they just want to intimidate you.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
NO!!!
3. But don't forget your:
Bring light sweaters, it gets a bit cooler in the winter, but it's beautiful. 50F or so.
4. Recommended movies/DVDs related to this city:
No
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
6. Do you have any other comments?
Ladies- Saudi women will be dressed to the nines under their abayas (Black robe), so bring your nicest dresses and jewelry if you are going to an event with Saudi women. They will remove their abayas and underneath will be diamonds, jewels, and designer outfits. But never shown in front of men outside their family! Everything closes 5 times a day for prayer. This is very annoying if you want to go grocery shopping or go anywhere. You always have to check prayer time.
