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Hi, for Riyadh:

1) Good one would cost 90-120K SAR per annum. Bad one could be fond for 40K.

2-3) Depends on the compound. My one charges me for electricity only, monthly cost is up to 350 SAR

4) Food - around 4-5K, grocery 1-1.5K, taxi 1-2K, mobile+internet - 0.5K SAR per month. This however can be reduced twice, or increased twice - depends on your needs and consumption habbits.

@AndyTT

Also interested in this question, although another bolt on would be:

Which would be the best Saudi bank to use, in terms of ease of use and transferring money back to the UK? Or can this simply be done by online banking. I remember back in Oman back in the day you had to go into the bank and complete a money transfer form and so on, it was easy enough but I am just thinking has things moved on?

Thanks

@Jeff McCreanor I guess you could use SABB as it is the Saudi HSBC and most of the international transactions can be done online than back in the days when you had to go physically to get it done

All banks offer online transfers nowadays.

SABB is associated with HSBC but it is NOT on the HSBC system (As it is an associate, not a fully owned HSBC entity). If it was, you could do an instant global transfer e.g. I transfer from Bahrain to Channel islands and it is done instantly.  SABB to HSBC would be a slightly faster than normal transfer and potentially without fees, but that is basically it.  Source: My transfers every month from SABB Saudi to HSBC Bahrain.

Thanks guys.

In the UK once groceries etc are bought, I limit myself to around £15 a day which is for fuel, lunch at work and a coffee etc.

Is it possible to spend about the same a day do you think? Is it about the same as the UK for cost of living?

That is roughly 70 SAR a day.

Starbucks will set you back around 20 SAR. Lunch you can spend up to 40 SAR (or much less depending on what you eat). Fuel cost is much lower than than UK - 95 is around 2.33 SAR per liter.

What is more expensive in Saudi vs. the UK is:

Groceries (Due to the high level of imports)

Housing (If you live in a compound)

Schooling (If employer doesn't cover it)

Medical (As you are on NHS in the UK)

@XTang thanks mate. I'm just trying to weigh up if it's worth it or not.

I've limited myself to around 5.5k SAR which is for groceries, fuel, utility bills including internet, water, electric etc, mobile phone bill, small lunch at work.

Not including the cost of rent at a compound.

I'm hoping this will be enough to get by and a bit more?

@AndyTT People with families run on a 5.5k per month budget excluding rent and expat fees, so I guess the budget should be fine.

@Ali_N Thanks Ali

It should be fine.