# Dubai - KSA



## RoMuMo (Jun 22, 2013)

Dear all,
I have read so much in this forum and got so many useful informations about relocating to Dubai, thank you for that.
I got an job offer some weeks before to move to Dubai for my company and I thought everything would be fine, and my wife and my daughter where really looking forward to make the move.
Now everything has changed :-(
The Dubai position is no longer to discuss for unknown reasons. Actually I got an offer for a related position in Riyadh KSA. 
My wife will never make the move to KSA, she will feel very uncomfortable and not free there. Was or is anybody in the same situation? Money is not the biggest issue, I have a good salary in Germany, so it is more carreer related, but not under all circumstances. Does anybody work in KSA on a weekly basis and live in Dubai? Maybe this would be to consider, I have to ask my company if this could be a deal.
Thank you for all your answers

Rgds.

Robert

P.S.
Maybe you could share your opinion's why better to move to KSA or to Dubai. What is good, what is bad? In fact I have heard so much in my interviews that KSA is much cheaper, better healthcare, even women can find a job easily, better schools etc. But I have really some doubts about that...


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## Mclovin oo7 (Sep 25, 2012)

RoMuMo said:


> Dear all,
> I have read so much in this forum and got so many useful informations about relocating to Dubai, thank you for that.
> I got an job offer some weeks before to move to Dubai for my company and I thought everything would be fine, and my wife and my daughter where really looking forward to make the move.
> Now everything has changed :-(
> ...


It might be doable but I personally do not know someone who lives in Dubai and works in Riyadh.

I do know a lot of people living in Bahrain and working in Al Khobar, Dammam etc. I even know a guy who lives in Bahrain and works in Doha but he goes to his office only twice a week.

You would be able to save more in KSA but I don't think quality of life is better in the KSA. People who live in KSA somehow love it, I do not understand why but they do. It is cheaper but the social scenario is not good.

Have you been to KSA?


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## Kawasutra (May 2, 2011)

> In fact I have heard so much in my interviews that KSA is much cheaper, better healthcare, even women can find a job easily, better schools etc. But I have really some doubts about that...


That must have been a dream in some of your last night´s...!


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

I am presently working in Riyadh and living in Dubai on a temporary basis. I can't help with things such as education though as I'm a single guy with no kids. There are about 10 others who I know that commute to their home Middle East country over staying in Riyadh at weekend. Families do not stay there in general that I know. 

Your company offering option of family living in Dubai is possible, but you may then be responsible for cost of getting between Riyadh and Dubai. Also working week is Saturday to Wednesday in Saudi so you won't get same Dubai weekend with your family, if your wife works you'll get one day together. You'll probably also need to factor in the amount of time you'll spend travelling. It's only a two hour flight, but you'll have all the associated time at passport control and getting bags etc. Riyadh control is good for an old airport, but I've been there for 3.5 hours when the system went down. Not much fun! Travel I hate the most out of all of it. 

If you decide it would be ok to take the family then there are many things that you need to consider. Your wife won't be able to drive, there isn't actually that much to do outside of the compounds, not even any cinemas. The roads aren't great (well more the drivers). 

It is cheaper to live there and your salary will be higher. Many thousands of people choose to live in Riyadh and stay there for many years. Ultimately it'll be up to you to decide what is best for you and your family. Personally I don't think I'd want to live there long term though.


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## Mclovin oo7 (Sep 25, 2012)

Windsweptdragon said:


> I am presently working in Riyadh and living in Dubai on a temporary basis. I can't help with things such as education though as I'm a single guy with no kids. There are about 10 others who I know that commute to their home Middle East country over staying in Riyadh at weekend. Families do not stay there in general that I know.
> 
> Your company offering option of family living in Dubai is possible, but you may then be responsible for cost of getting between Riyadh and Dubai. Also working week is Saturday to Wednesday in Saudi so you won't get same Dubai weekend with your family, if your wife works you'll get one day together. You'll probably also need to factor in the amount of time you'll spend travelling. It's only a two hour flight, but you'll have all the associated time at passport control and getting bags etc. *Riyadh control is good for an old airport, but I've been there for 3.5 hours when the system went down. Not much fun! Travel I hate the most out of all of it. *
> If you decide it would be ok to take the family then there are many things that you need to consider. Your wife won't be able to drive, there isn't actually that much to do outside of the compounds, not even any cinemas. The roads aren't great (well more the drivers).
> ...


Riyadh is still "okay", I was stuck at Dammam airport passport control once for six hours.


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## RoMuMo (Jun 22, 2013)

Wow, this is really a great forum. Thank you all for your answers. In fact nobody can make the decision for me, but all of your posts really help me to consider.
I hope that the time in KSA will be limited. For both cases...
I did not know that the working week is different from Dubai...and even traveling from and to is so difficult :-=
Hmmm, anyway I have to wait until tomorrow and see what the Dubai office will offer me. And no, I have never been to KSA, so it is a must that they invite us for a few days to have a look what it is like. 

I'll keep you in touch ;-)

Rgds.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

RoMuMo said:


> Wow, this is really a great forum. Thank you all for your answers. In fact nobody can make the decision for me, but all of your posts really help me to consider.
> I hope that the time in KSA will be limited. For both cases...
> I did not know that the working week is different from Dubai...and even traveling from and to is so difficult :-=
> Hmmm, anyway I have to wait until tomorrow and see what the Dubai office will offer me. And no, I have never been to KSA, so it is a must that they invite us for a few days to have a look what it is like.
> ...


Well - there is a plan to harmonise working week in GCC countries - so eventually KSA should have same working week as Dubai.
I have lived and worked in both countries and would certainly not consider going and working back in KSA - unless they offered me a very seriously high package and even then I would not consider taking my family there to live.
What is really sad is that KSA has so much to offer - amazing history, ancient ruins from the old civilisation, great watersports on Red Sea, Coral reef, etc. - but somehow they don't seem to want to share this or take real advantage of what they have.

Cheers

Steve


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Stevesolar said:


> Well - there is a plan to harmonise working week in GCC countries - so eventually KSA should have same working week as Dubai.
> I have lived and worked in both countries and would certainly not consider going and working back in KSA - unless they offered me a very seriously high package and even then I would not consider taking my family there to live.
> What is really sad is that KSA has so much to offer - amazing history, ancient ruins from the old civilisation, great watersports on Red Sea, Coral reef, etc. - but somehow they don't seem to want to share this or take real advantage of what they have.
> 
> ...


You read it here first!

BBC News - Saudi Arabia switches start of weekend from Thursday to Friday

Cheers
Steve


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I thought having two days a week that added hell of alot of traffic was bad.... But piling that many people into just Thursday night is going to make Thursday drives from Abu Dhabi to Dubai horrendous.


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

Jynxgirl said:


> I thought having two days a week that added hell of alot of traffic was bad.... But piling that many people into just Thursday night is going to make Thursday drives from Abu Dhabi to Dubai horrendous.


I'm really not looking forwards to the airport trips from now on going through Dubai. One of the saving graces was that I was going through the airport at a non busy time, now I'll be in with the Qatar and Bahrain travellers too. 

This will not be fun. I might need to do a countdown in my signature to state how long the hell will last.


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

I didn't read any of the comments above but if you are not comfortable with KSA lifestyle you can live in what's called there (compounds). These compounds are more convenient for NORMAL people! Just ask about it. Aside from this, yeah KSA is much more cheaper than Dubai, no way to compare!


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## RoMuMo (Jun 22, 2013)

Wow,thank you all for your replies. I think there is a quite good discussion ongoing on this thread.
Well, we made a decision that it would be worth to relocate to KSA. I have to discuss with the company if it will be for a "short term" and later to relocate to Dubai.
Maybe it will be an interesting experience for us. Though there are many restrictions that we dont understand in our western culture it could be possible to get a glimpse in a culture not everyone is able to have a look at.
Now I have another question. What if we would like to invite our friends or family to Riyadh?I have read that there are not tourist visas at all.Is it possible to invite them????
Best regards

Robert


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

Eng.Khaled said:


> I didn't read any of the comments above but if you are not comfortable with KSA lifestyle you can live in what's called there (compounds). These compounds are more convenient for NORMAL people! Just ask about it. Aside from this, yeah KSA is much more cheaper than Dubai, no way to compare!


You realise you work, do all of your shopping and visits to majority of places outside the compound? The compounds are actually a very small part of life, if you're not comfortable being outside of one don't go to the Kingdom.


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## Windsweptdragon (Aug 12, 2012)

RoMuMo said:


> Wow,thank you all for your replies. I think there is a quite good discussion ongoing on this thread.
> Well, we made a decision that it would be worth to relocate to KSA. I have to discuss with the company if it will be for a "short term" and later to relocate to Dubai.
> Maybe it will be an interesting experience for us. Though there are many restrictions that we dont understand in our western culture it could be possible to get a glimpse in a culture not everyone is able to have a look at.
> Now I have another question. What if we would like to invite our friends or family to Riyadh?I have read that there are not tourist visas at all.Is it possible to invite them????
> ...


It'll certainly be an experience. 

In short, its very difficult for friends and family to visit. A kind of tourist visa does exist, but its through recognised companies only and you need to do everything with them on a tour type holiday. Other than that you'll need an invite letter from a company to get in. Other difficulties would arise if they are Jewish (totally banned) or if they are travelling as a single woman. 

You should also consider though that there isn't really anything here to show people. Maybe spend your holidays going to see them instead would be the best advice you could be offered.


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## sammylou (Oct 29, 2012)

my husband and i live in Dubai but he works in Riyadh 5 days a week and has a serviced apartment there [not in a compound]. things he has said to me about his experience in spending so much time there. obviously this is his opinion.

CONS:

- the food choice isn't great, difficult to get good quality groceries, lots of crappy fast food
- the driving is MUCH worse than in Dubai and he is glad he doesn't have to do it, he only takes taxis and even that is scary at times
- no cinemas
- only one decent mall and it doesn't have anything special in it really
- no alcohol
- restaurants and amenities not as good as Dubai

that being said, he does have to fly back every weekend to Dubai [which he does look forward to all week] which may be something you and your family are not interested in doing. i think some people manage very well living in compounds but i can't speak to that experience.


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