Inside Saudi Arabia19 Nov 2025

Moving to Riyadh: Your Biggest Questions on Schools, Compounds, Visas, Salaries & Expat Life

Thinking about moving to Riyadh? Wondering what expat packages really include, how hard it is to get into schools, or which compounds are affordable? In today’s Q&A, we answer your biggest questions about expat life in Saudi Arabia — completely honestly.

We cover everything from salary negotiations and visas, to school admissions, compound prices, working as an expat wife, culture, moving with dogs, monetising social media in Saudi, and even how we met.

If you're relocating with kids, considering a job offer, or simply curious about modern expat life in Riyadh, this episode is packed with practical insight you won’t find anywhere else.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 Welcome to Inside Saudi: Answering Your Burning Questions! 00:45 Do We Work? Building the Brand (Our 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM Schedule) 03:05 Our Career Backgrounds + Do We Have Local Saudi Friends? 06:17 Salary Negotiation Power & The Myth That “Everything Is Included” 08:04 What Expat Packages Really Include in 2025 10:32 Mindset Shifts: Tapping into Riyadh’s Buzzing Energy 13:11 Visas for Expat Wives: Can You Work in HR or Marketing? 15:00 Niche Job Opportunities: Why Pilates Is Growing in Riyadh 16:00 Moving Our Dogs to Saudi Arabia (£4,000 Cost Breakdown) 17:02 International Schools: Admissions, Waitlists & Competition 20:40 Compound Living vs New Developments (How to Choose Accommodation) 23:18 Do Arabic Women Welcome Foreigners? + Handling Online Trolls 25:18 Why We REALLY Moved to Saudi (Hint: It Wasn’t for the Money) 27:29 Affordable Compounds: Why Prices Are So Outrageous 29:14 How We Monetise Social Media in Saudi (No TikTok Creator Fund!) 31:07 The Biggest Shock After Moving: We Didn’t Expect to LOVE Saudi 34:55 How We Met & Started This Podcast in One Week 39:00 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Us

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