About KSAExpats.com
Last updated: 9 April 2026
Your practical, experience-based guide to living, working, and thriving in Saudi Arabia — written by an expat, for expats.
Mohammed Ameen — Founder, KSAExpats.com
My name is Mohammed Ameen. I moved to Riyadh in 2009 with my family and, without really planning it, ended up spending over a decade calling Saudi Arabia home.
Like most expats, I arrived with a mix of excitement and a lot of unanswered questions. With a background in marketing and business, I thought I had a decent head start. I was wrong. The Iqama process, finding the right neighbourhood, setting up a bank account, getting the kids into a good school, understanding how things actually work at the workplace — none of it was as straightforward as I expected. Most of what I learned, I learned by going through it myself.
Over the years, family, friends, colleagues, and newcomers kept asking me the same questions. And every time I went looking for a reliable resource to point them to, I came up short. The information online was either outdated, too vague, or written as if nobody had actually lived it.
That is what led me to start KSAExpats.com.
Why KSAExpats.com exists
Saudi Arabia is moving fast. Vision 2030 has changed a lot — housing, entertainment, residency options, workplace culture — and most of what you find online still reflects a version of the Kingdom that has already moved on.
The three gaps I kept running into:
Outdated information — Regulations, fees, and processes in KSA change frequently. Most online content lags years behind reality.
No lived experience — Official sources tell you what the rules are, not what actually happens when you try to follow them.
Generic, one-size advice — Expat needs vary by nationality, profession, and family situation. Generic guides miss the details that matter.
KSAExpats.com was built to close all three gaps — content that is current, grounded in real experience, and specific enough to actually be useful.
What you will find here
Every topic on this site is something I either went through personally or researched properly. The content covers the full expat journey — visas and Iqama, jobs and salaries, housing and neighbourhoods, schools and family life, daily life and culture, and banking and finance.
Whether you are getting ready to move, already here and trying to figure something out, or just planning ahead — there is something here for you.
How this site works
Experience first — everything is based on firsthand knowledge, not copied from official portals or rewritten press releases.
All nationalities welcome — Saudi Arabia has one of the most diverse expat communities in the world, and this site is built for all of it.
Kept up to date — things change here, sometimes quickly. Content is reviewed and updated as the Kingdom evolves.
Honest, not dramatic — Saudi Arabia has genuine strengths and real challenges. You will find both reflected here, without exaggeration in either direction.
A note on accuracy
All content on KSAExpats.com is based on personal experience, independent research, and publicly available information. This site is not affiliated with any Saudi government authority or official body.
Nothing here is legal, financial, or immigration advice. Regulations in Saudi Arabia can and do change — always verify anything important through official channels before acting on it.
Get in touch
If there is something you cannot find here, a process that is not making sense, or something you think needs updating — feel free to reach out. This is a long-term project and the goal is simple: to make it the most honest, useful, independent resource for expats in Saudi Arabia.
Use the contact page to get in touch.
