Renting in Riyadh

Hello Lovelies, SP here. As a newly-married couple, my hubby and I have been on the lookout for a new place to move into and I realized that it would be nice to share the experience to our readers who are thinking of bringing their families here in the Kingdom. I'll write about our house hunting experience as we go along. This will be a part of a series of post detailing our house-hunting adventures and renovations. So hop along our quest for the perfect nest!

One of the basic things you need to think about when relocating to Saudi Arabia is housing. While some expats are lucky enough to have their accommodations readily provided by their employers, there are those who get their housing allowances in cash and will therefore need to look for suitable apartment to live in on their own. This doubly important if you're planning on bringing your family to the kingdom. 

There are so many factors you have to consider when looking for a rental home in Saudi Arabia, such as the neighborhood, access to schools, groceries and malls, hospitals and to your work, as well as the cost of renting per year.

You can begin by checking Real Estate Agencies, also known as Aqaris, for available units around the area. They usually have offices around the areas they market. This way you can find out the rental rates around the area you're targeting.

 
Aside from Aqaris, you can also check online listings such as Expatriate.com and Dubizzle.com. Those websites are usually chock-full of ad posts for rental units available and even other items such as furniture, cars, etc. You can also try the services of relocation companies such as Move One to help you with your move to Saudi Arabia. 

These are some of the housing options available for expats in Riyadh:

Residential Compounds

Photo is from Al Hamra Oasis Village Website

Residential Compounds are large gated neighborhoods specifically designed and marketed for western expats in mind. Most of these compounds offer 2-3 bedroom furnished houses with beautiful gardens and the convenience of amenities such as mini grocers, restaurants, pools and recreation facilities, in house maintenance service and 24-hour security service. Al Hamra Oasis Village, for example, is a popular choice because of its proximity to the British School.  Of course, renting in a compound comes with a hefty rental rate, which is anywhere from 100,000 SAR to 300,000 SAR per year, depending on the compound.

Villa Rental

Villas are large houses with lots of rooms, usually with its own private yard and parking. Some villas also have their own private pools. These are usually privately owned by Saudi locals and are rented to the public through an Aqari. Rates are usually from 50,000 SAR and above, per year, depending on the facilities.

Flat Rental and Villa Portion Rental
Apartment buildings are very popular in Riyadh. These are 3-4 story buildings with independent flats. There’s usually one gate to the building and each flat have their own entrance. Usually flats come in 2-3 bedroom units, with hall, kitchen and bathrooms. Most of the time, there are no dedicated parking spaces so residents just park anywhere the building. These are offered by building owners or through the Aqari. Depending on the location and size, rents can range anywhere from 14,000 SAR to 40,000 SAR.

Furnished Apartments

As the name implies, these apartments are fully furnished. Most of the time these are 1 bedroom to 3 bedroom units. Priced around 12,000 SAR to 30,000 SAR per year depending on location and amenities provided.

Subletting

There’s also the option of sharing a large flat with other people, where you occupy only a room while the living room, kitchen and bath are shared areas. The rates are cheaper usually starting at 4800 SAR per year. These are usually offered to bachelors who only need bed spacing. Single ladies are usually provided accommodations by their employers and are not encouraged to rent on their own.

Again, I’d like to emphasize that these prices and electricity/water charges ranges vary considerably based on many factors, such as location, building type and size. There’s no fixed rate for these charges. There are some rents that already include electricity and water, and there are some units rented exclusive of those charges. Expect rents to be much higher along business centers such as Olaya and King Fahad. Also the price ranges stated in this post is as of press time. Rental rates change over time.

At the end of the day, the choice really boils down to your budget, space requirements and accessibility to your work area.

I hope this post has been helpful. My hubby and I are still in the process of looking for a suitable apartment and it’s a learning process indeed. Insha’Allah, next time I’ll write about our personal house-hunting experience.

Til' my next post,

Sampaguita Pride