Salary offer and accommodation

40k SAR a month is roughly 11k USD (USD127k/year).  I can do a lot of damage with that amount of money!! Haha

For expenses - it all depends on your lifestyle.  You can get a decent 1br accomodation for the price range you specified.
I am single as well and on top of that I do not cook - hahaha.  So I eat out or have my friends cook for me.  Lol.  It all works out.

Depending on where you end up living, you may or may not need a vehicle.  Plus drivers (both locals AND expats alike - there I said it!!) are all crazy when they get behind the wheel of their vehicles.  I happen to live 7 blocks from where I work so having a vehicle is a waste of money for me.  Taxis are plentiful and cheap - and if you find a reliable cabbie, then they are just a phone call away and you can negotiate a decent price with them.

One other cost will be your entertainment.  In my case, it is a plane ticket out of the Kingdom.  Lol

Good luck man!

Thanks, but even living next to work, I would still want a vehicle as its something that I enjoy.

I was hoping to get not decent, but towards the upper end in terms of quality for a 1 bed or 2bed.

From what I have read there arent any nice apartment buildings with fully furnished flats and facilities. So only compounds.

Any new ones to look out for or hotel apartments?
Looking for something like the palm in dubai, which is where I live now..

jefferington wrote:

Hello all,

New to the forum, and have already come across some great info on accommodation, but still not sure which way to go.

I'm planning to move to Riyadh, single expat in banking. Have been offered about SAR 40k a month with nothing included, so need to find my own accomodation etc.

Is this an acceptable salary for a western banker with about 6 yrs experience?

Looking to get a high quality 1 or 2 bed flat in compound or in a good area outside compound for about 90-100k SAR a year and a decent vehicle for about 200k SAR..(probably get a lease or loan)

Besides that are there any other major costs i'm ignoring and can I have a comfortable life in riyadh with this.

Apologies I know these questions have been repeated, but appreciate a few specific replies at least.

thanks again

Welcome to KSA, 40K is good but the way you're planning your accommodation, eventually you will find this salary a lot less.  Well I am happy that finally i found a banker on EB. Best of luck.

Not sure, what area you represent and which bank you're joining. But if the bank is not SAMBA & SABB you can demand more..

Regards