Job Discussion Forums

[JerkyBoy]

I am (hopefully) about to be deployed in the next 10 days. Riyadh is my destination.

The firm offers either company housing or a housing allowance + travel allowance package. From what I am reading on here about the erratic transportation they lay on, it might be better to make my own way there.

I would like to know:

a) Can I rent somewhere without an iqama and what will that likely be?
b) What will 2750 SAR/ month buy me?
c) The travel allowance is 600 SAR/ month - what do you suggest I do with that?

Cheers.

[sharter]

What...you want to rent what for less than 3000 SAR?

Your travel allowance is ample for petrol......are you gonna buy a car?

I'd invest it in red Rauch grape juice, sugar and yeast..........

[cmp45]

[aridion]

[JerkyBoy]

There must be hotels or apartments that will rent me a room on a monthly basis?

"No iqama, no life?" How does that work? I didn't think anybody had a life out there? I can't go in and out of the country at will but aside from that, how am I losing out?

[JerkyBoy]

"You will get an idea of what is available on expatriates.com�

Rents vary from area to area and it would be important to be reasonably near your work to cut down on taxi fares and avoid traffic jams. In an average area, I'd say anywhere from 18-25K SR a year, plus allow about 250-450 SR a month for water, electricity, Internet connection, etc.�
The best way to find a place is probably by asking colleagues, check adverts etc. while staying in a furnished apartment for the first month. Should cost about 150SR a day for a furnished place - you might be able to negotiate a slightly better rate when staying for a month or longer (and it would probably have free Internet)."


http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=87469&highlight=rent

[cmp45]

[cmp45]

Jerkboy...guess your questio was already answered...makes me wonder why you are asking this again then????????

[egyptfan]

It's not as bad as some people paint it.

When you say 'no iqama' - do you mean at the beginning or for the whole contract? If the latter, then you will not be able to open a bank account, get a driving licence / car, etc. This makes life difficult. A car and the freedom to move about, simple and all as it might seem, makes a huge difference to your quality of life. Even if you are brave enough to drive and plan to rent a car, I'd advise you to get an international licence before you come to the Kingdom. I am not sure if it would be of much use but at least it has an Arabic translation.

Given how horrendous traffic is in Riyadh, proximity to work is a big plus and might be worth considering when looking for accommodation.

You can probably rent a basic, furnished apartment for about 3000SR a month, depending on the location, condition and your ability to bargain. A compound is completely out of the question for the figures mentioned.I am not sure but imagine a passport would be sufficient to rent a furnished apt.
To rent your own apt for a year, you would probably need an iqama, though a letter from your employer / sponsor (also needed) might suffice. This would require a bit more effort and you would have to furnish it yourself, but it would be worthwhile financially, if staying more than a year or two. Existing staff should be able to point you in the right direction.
Good luck.

[johnslat]

Dear aridion,

"Would they spot it at the airport?"

Probably not - but would it be worth the worry? You can buy regular yeast at Safeway, and, although admittedly not as good, it does the job.

Dear JerkyBoy,

Not having an iqama probably make life more difficult in a number of areas.

You can rent a car, but you can't open a bank account. You also can't rent an apartment in your own name - your employer would have to do it for you. Same with a home internet connection or phone service.
But you can get a mobile and mobile-internet connection with just your passport, and prepaid accounts are normal for both.

So, life will probably involve more hassle - but it's doable.

Regards,
John

[JerkyBoy]

[JerkyBoy]

[JerkyBoy]

[JerkyBoy]

[JerkyBoy]

"OK, over to the doom-mongers ... "