# Moving to Riyadh in a month...



## mixia518 (Jul 16, 2012)

I have many questions as to what to expect and not expect in regards to expenses and dress code ... (so I can figure out what to pack). 
I have been made a specific offer that includes round trip flights, health insurance, and accommodations, but I have to pay for utilities. Soo.. How much should I expect to spend on utilities and food? What kind of entertainment options will I have, and how much should I expect to spend on that?...and... clothing... I know I have to buy an abaya as soon as I arrive at the airport, but what do women wear underneath? Will I have to wear the abaya everywhere? ... What other clothing should I make sure to bring?... Anything else?... Anymore recommendations? ... Please advice.


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## jrp928 (Jul 27, 2011)

mixia518 said:


> I have many questions as to what to expect and not expect in regards to expenses and dress code ... (so I can figure out what to pack).
> I have been made a specific offer that includes round trip flights, health insurance, and accommodations, but I have to pay for utilities. Soo.. How much should I expect to spend on utilities and food? What kind of entertainment options will I have, and how much should I expect to spend on that?...and... clothing... I know I have to buy an abaya as soon as I arrive at the airport, but what do women wear underneath? Will I have to wear the abaya everywhere? ... What other clothing should I make sure to bring?... Anything else?... Anymore recommendations? ... Please advice.


Despite it being nearly 10 years sincer we left, I doubt things will have changed much...
Yes, you will have to wear an abaya EVERYWHERE in public. About the only exceptions will be in up market hotels, or family restaurant sections. Accomodation type is critical - flat/unit or compound? On a western type compound you should be free of such restrictions. You can make an abaya a bit more stylish than bought ones - my wife made one with a big multi-coloured diagonal slash, which looked pretty good. Wear just enough underneath to be warm/cool enough for the season. If you find the head scarf annoying, get a fashionable hat - this seems to be enough to keep the Mutawa (religious police) off your back - my wife wore a red Akubra, and she was easy to find in a crowd. Our accommodations included utilies, our only extra was long distance phone calls - if you can get on the internet and get Skype up, you might avoid those costs. I dont think utilities will be significant, unless your salary is poor - can you tell us a little of what work you will do, who for and salary? Note that your salary will be dependent on your passport - Westerners get much higher pay than others. Some Govt depts are ok, others are poor employers. Western companies are the best employers. Make sure you are aware of the tax implications in your home country of working in Saudi tax free, and if you need to take care with sending money home.
Most of what you need can be found there, it may just take you a while to locate everything. This will happen quicker once you have made contact with other expats who know their way around - there are specific places where things can be bought, depending on which side of town you are closest to. eg, On the east side, there is a big kitchen equipment plce on Khurais rd. The Tamimi supermarkets will look like most other Safeway stores you may have been in, and you will soon get to know which supermarkets are best for different things. Panda are more used by locals, there are many. Keep away from livestock markets, but some of the vege markets are good and cheap. The big shopping malls are on Olaya rd, pretty much the main drag. Depending on your accommodation, your employer may put on a regular shopping bus, so initially you should try them all to get an idea of whats where. Note that a single woman should ONLY use the Family section of restaurants, either alone or with other girls. About the ONLY public toilet usable by women used to be in Jarir book store on Olaya, so be aware of where that is. Entertainment for westerners , women in particular is non existent, unless you make some. Once you locate some expats of a like mind and origin, you should find out where the relevant action is - people in compounds who can have guests can make life bearable. Until you make contact, you will be up for taxis everywhere, or employer buses. In winter there should be many camping parties in the desert, or long trips - I was in a weekend camp out within a week of arrival, and spent many pleasant, interesting, diverting, exciting trips in winter, some getting very 'tired and emotional' on home made stuff.
hope this helps. ask for more if you need it.
jp


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## zahi (Mar 14, 2012)

Hi, 
Just moved to Riyadh 3 months ago. Not sure if you are moving alone or with family! But entertainment is usually going to western restaurant and such. Some western compounds have their own activities. 

Utility (monthly):
$50 electricity
$50 Internet 
$100 mobile
$10 water
$100 satellite tv

Food should cost less than $1000 mix of dining out and home (single, not family)

I hope this answers your concerns.


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## yakc130 (Apr 27, 2012)

I've been here since Apr '11 living on a Western compound. 

My employer covers everything but food, limos (taxis), and whatever else I want to spend my cash on. You will have a pretty good penny coming in as the exchange rate is at SR$3.77/dollar. Eid is just finishing up, and school will start in another week, or two. Temps are running in the 1-teens, and are slowing coming down now. Evenings are in the 90's. Where I work in the desert, it can actually get below freezing in the winter at night.

There are shopping malls everywhere now. Khurais road is literally one place after another. Grocery stores that I regularly go to are Tamimi, Hyper-Panda, Lu Lu, and Carre Four. You definitely won't suffer from a lack of shopping. There are many Western food establishments around. Most are pretty good, but the taste is slightly off. There is a Dairy Queen that I found near Granada Mall area that has the most US tasting burger I have found. El Chico is pretty authentic Mexican food.

My employer has a limo service contracted, so our prices are set. We also have shopping buses that take us to different places. Be careful of the "outside" limo drivers. Some don't speak English, and will charge you quite a lot if they find out where you are from.

Everything is priced on your passport. If you are US, you pay the highest. If you are a TCN, your price is much lower because your pay is much lower. When you get here, make sure that your employer gets your iqama to you ASAP. You will need that to set up your bank account, telemoney transfer account, and, come the end of September, your cell phone also. 

Will your employer be keeping your passport? Make color photo copies of it, and have a scan of it, and ALL your paperwork on your computer, or USB. Also, bring double the amount of passport photos they told you that you would need. My boss advised me of this, and it has saved my butt. Even better, if you have a computer geek friend, have them set up a page that has multiples of your passport photo on it. Then, all you need to do is get a photo printer and photo paper, and print them out. The government monitors many things here, including internet, and postal. Hotspot Shield is your friend for getting on many sites that have articles posted to "tiny url," as that is blocked. The first three boxes from home were not searched. Everything since then, including envelopes, has been opened and searched.

The embassies sponsor dinner parties monthly, but you will need someone to get you on "the list." 

That's all I can think of at the moment. I hope that it helps you. How long did you sign up for? Are you medical? That's one of the best fields here to be in.

Good luck. I hope you enjoy your time here in the "Magic Kingdom."


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## drsaaba (Apr 6, 2012)

Yakc130 - found your comments helpful.


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## jrp928 (Jul 27, 2011)

I cant think of any employer who would NOT hold your passport while in residence - it always pays to have copies of the front page, and your residence visa with you. Once you have your Iqama, you wont get the passport back until your are going out of kingdom. It will help you with bargaining to learn a few words of polite Arabic, as you can then make jokes, and imply you know what you speak of. 'mafi felous' (no money) can help to stall pestering vendors. Learn arabic for words like new (jadeed), good (quais), no (la, mafi), yes (aiwa, and another I forget), broken (Harbaan), finished (Khalas, gutteral k-h), thank you (shukran), friend (siddiq, polite way to stop a stranger to ask directions or help), problem (mushkila), water (moya) , here (hina, as in telling a taxi to stop now), right (yemin), left (yazar), straight ahead (ala tool), hotel (funduq). 'mafi' in front negates , as in 'mafi quais' - not good.

jp


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## yakc130 (Apr 27, 2012)

jrp928;878405 yes (aiwa said:


> Folks I work with say "sa" and another one that I think means "okay" or "uh-huh" "taib."


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## jrp928 (Jul 27, 2011)

*moving to riyadh*

That yes form will be na'am, or to us just pronounced narm . there is a lot of variation in spoken arabic all around the ME.
Also useful will be please - min fudluk.
jp


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## drsaaba (Apr 6, 2012)

Now time to practice all this in real life. All family moving to Riyadh - will be there by Wednesday - Inshallah.


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## jrp928 (Jul 27, 2011)

Interested in your comments and experiences, Drsaaba. 
jp


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