News, guides, and honest perspectives on life, work, and business in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's 2021 labour reforms were the most significant change to expat worker rights in decades. Exit visas no longer require employer consent, job transfers are possible after 12 months, and the Qiwa platform has made the process digital. But the system still has limitations — and not all workers know their new rights.
Read the Labour Law Guide →With inflation stabilising and the housing market shifting, we've updated our full cost of living breakdown. A mid-range family of four in Riyadh now needs between SAR 22,000–32,000/month all-in — here's how that breaks down across housing, transport, schools, food, and utilities.
Read the Cost GuideSaudi Arabia's Premium Residency offers freedom of employment, no sponsor, and the right to own property — for a one-time SAR 800,000 fee or SAR 100,000/year. We run the numbers: who should seriously consider it, and who shouldn't bother.
Read the Visa GuideAl Nakheel, Al Yasmin, Diplomatic Quarter, and Al Malqa all attract different expat profiles. We break down each neighbourhood's rent levels, school proximity, amenities, and community feel — so you can choose before arriving.
Read the Riyadh GuideWithout a bank account, you can't receive salary, pay rent by bank transfer, or set up utilities. But Iqamas take 4–8 weeks. Here's how to get a temporary account open in week one using your employment offer letter — and which banks are most cooperative.
Read the Banking GuideForeign company registration used to take months. MISA has digitised most of it. In theory, you can get a foreign investment licence in 24 hours. In practice, it takes 1–4 weeks. We walk through the current process, the real pain points, and what a realistic timeline looks like.
Read the Company Guide