Before You Leave
Tax residency
France treats you as tax resident if your foyer (household) or main place of stay is in France, if you carry on your main professional activity there, or if the centre of your economic interests is there — so if your spouse and children stay behind, you may remain French tax resident even while working in Riyadh. If you do become non-resident, tell your centre des impôts, file with the Service des Impôts des Particuliers Non-Résidents from the following year, and remember that French-source income such as rent is still taxed at a minimum non-resident rate. France and Saudi Arabia have a double tax treaty. Get advice from an expert-comptable or avocat fiscaliste before you sign.
Home banking and credit cards
Keep at least one French account open for prélèvements, a mortgage and emergency access, and tell your bank you are moving abroad; most will move you to a non-resident account with different fees and may restrict some products. Livret A and assurance-vie can generally be kept; check the rules for a PEA before you leave. Make sure your online banking, FranceConnect and impots.gouv.fr logins do not depend on a French mobile number you are about to cancel.
Pensions and savings
There is no social security agreement between France and Saudi Arabia, so your Saudi years will not count towards a French retraite de base or Agirc-Arrco points unless you join the Caisse des Français de l'Étranger (CFE), which lets you keep contributing voluntarily to pension, health and accident cover from abroad. Many French expats do this — cost it out early, as joining within the first months of departure avoids a waiting period. PER and other savings plans can stay where they are. Review investments for non-resident withholding and take advice before selling or restructuring.
Document legalisation
Confirm the exact chain with your Saudi employer before paying for anything. Since 2025, apostilles in France are issued by notaires rather than the cour d'appel, so any notaire can apostille your diplomas, marriage and birth certificates; university qualifications may then need verification through the Saudi embassy in Paris or the Saudi Cultural Mission. Request your bulletin n°3 du casier judiciaire online early and budget for sworn (assermentée) Arabic translations once you arrive.
Pets and medical records
Pet exports need a certificat sanitaire from a DDPP-approved vet plus Saudi import approval, microchipping and up-to-date rabies vaccination; the sequence takes months, so start early. Your Carte Vitale and Sécurité sociale cover stop once you leave, unless you join the CFE. Request copies of prescriptions, carnet de vaccination, dental records and any specialist notes for each family member, and carry regular medication in original packaging with a doctor's letter.
Visas & Documents
French citizens relocating for work need an employer-sponsored Work Visa. Your employer starts the process in Saudi Arabia; you then complete a medical examination at an approved clinic, obtain your bulletin n°3, and have your qualifications apostilled by a notaire and, for degrees, verified through the Saudi embassy in Paris or the Saudi Cultural Mission — before the visa is issued. Healthcare professionals also need Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) classification and the Prometric exam, which your employer or recruiter will coordinate.
Once you arrive, your employer will arrange your Iqama (residency permit). The Iqama is your essential ID card, needed to open a bank account, rent a home, get a SIM card and set up utilities — think of it as your carte d'identité and titre de séjour in one. Keep a photo of it on your phone.
Employment & Contracts
French professionals in Saudi Arabia are concentrated in energy, defence and aerospace, rail and transport, water and environment, construction, luxury and hospitality, healthcare and — increasingly — culture and tourism around AlUla and the giga-projects. Most arrive on packages that bundle a base salary with housing (or a housing allowance), medical insurance, annual flights home and, for families, an education allowance that often covers the French lycée. Check whether you are on a local Saudi contract or a contrat d'expatriation from a French employer — the tax, CFE and pension consequences are very different.
There is no personal income tax in Saudi Arabia, which is the single biggest change to your take-home pay compared with the barème progressif. There is no employer pension contribution and no mutuelle in the French sense; instead you accrue an end-of-service benefit (ESB), typically half a month's salary per year for the first five years and a full month per year thereafter, paid when you leave. Annual leave is usually 21–30 days rather than five weeks plus RTT, contracts are generally fixed-term and renewable, and the working week is Sunday to Thursday.
Housing & Neighbourhoods
Most expats choose between a home in a residential compound and an apartment or villa "on the economy" — the commonly used expat term for living outside a compound. Compounds offer an easier first landing and built-in community, while living on the economy usually gives you more choice, better value and a closer connection to the city around you.
Rents are quoted annually and are usually paid in one or two instalments up front. Residential leases must be registered through Ejar. Many employers provide accommodation or pay a housing allowance, so check exactly what your employment contract includes before deciding where and how to rent.
Compounds: the easy landing
When you are new, compounds can make settling in much easier. They commonly provide gated security, pools, gyms, tennis courts, playgrounds, cafés and often a shop or restaurant on site. You also gain an immediate social circle of other expats, school-bus pick-ups, a more relaxed dress code inside the walls and maintenance handled for you.
The trade-off is price: compounds often cost 30–60% more than an equivalent villa or apartment outside, and the most popular developments can have waiting lists. Many arrivals spend their first year or two in a compound and then move out once they understand the city and their preferred commute.
Compound prices are normally quoted per year. Villas in the leading Riyadh compounds can run well into six figures in SAR annually.
Living outside a compound
Living outside a compound is generally cheaper, gives you a wider choice of homes and puts you closer to the everyday life of the city. Expat-oriented apartment buildings and smaller "mini compounds" are also available in many popular districts.
Riyadh: Al Olaya, Al Malqa, Hittin, Al Narjis, Al Sahafa, Diplomatic Quarter (DQ).
Jeddah: Al Shati, Al Rawdah, Al Hamra, Al Salamah, Al Zahra.
Eastern Province: Al Rakah and Al Aqrabiyah (Khobar), Dhahran, Al Shati (Dammam).
Popular compounds
Riyadh
- Al Nakhla Residential Resort
- Kingdom City
- Arizona Golf Resort
- Cordoba Oasis Village
- Al Hamra Oasis Village
- Ranco Village
- Seder Village
- Ishbilia Village
- Rawabi Pearl
- Arcadia Residential Compound
Jeddah
- Sharbatly Village
- Arabian Homes
- Basateen Village
- Al Basateen Compound
- Midtown Khalidiyyah
Eastern Province
- Eurovillage
- Dana Compound
- Nada Compound
- Zamil Village
- Al Ansari Compound
- Dhahran Hills (Aramco housing — employees only)
This isn't a ranking — availability changes constantly, and the right compound depends on where you work and which school you've chosen.
Browse more compounds on RightCompound.
Practical tips
- View the property before you sign if at all possible.
- Ask your employer's HR team which compounds colleagues use.
- Check commute times to the office and school at 7:30am, not on a weekend.
Healthcare System
Your employer is legally required to provide private medical insurance for you and your sponsored dependants. Private healthcare in the major cities is excellent, with modern hospitals and English-speaking staff widely available, and a number of French-speaking doctors — particularly Lebanese, Tunisian and Moroccan — in the big private groups.
Check your policy's coverage class, network hospitals and co-payments before you need them. Your Sécurité sociale cover stops when you leave France unless you join the CFE, which many French expats do so that care in France on holidays and a return home remain seamless. Bring enough of any regular medication to last until you have found a local doctor, with a supporting letter and the original packaging.
Banking & FX
Which bank to open
In our experience SAB is the most straightforward Saudi bank for expats who want to send money home via a licensed FX provider like SummitFX. Some other banks restrict or delay third-party international payments, which can lock you into their own exchange rates.
SNB, Al Rajhi and Riyad Bank are widely used alternatives; compare their account requirements, transfer controls and published charges before choosing.
What using a specialist FX provider saves you
French and Saudi banks typically build a 2–3% margin into their exchange rate on top of any transfer fee. A specialist FX provider like SummitFX works from the live interbank rate, so on most transfers you keep the majority of that 2–3% yourself.
- Arriving: Rent is usually paid 6–12 months up front, so many new arrivals send a large lump sum from France to cover the first year. On a SAR 60,000 annual rent (about €14,000), a 2–3% bank margin costs you €280–€420 before you've unpacked.
- Every month after that: Most French expats send part of their tax-free salary home for a crédit immobilier, CFE contributions, savings or family. On a monthly transfer of SAR 20,000 (about €4,700), the same margin is €90–€140 a month — €1,150–€1,700 a year, every year you're in the Kingdom.
Whether you are paying a crédit immobilier, keeping up CFE contributions, supporting family or simply building savings in euros, sending money via your Saudi bank's app exposes you to a wide EUR/SAR spread. SummitFX quotes from the live interbank rate and can deliver euros to your French account the same day via SEPA. Check the live EUR/SAR rate.
Need to transfer EUR to SAR?
Get a bank-beating rate and same-day delivery with SummitFX.
Get a live SAR quoteDriving & Transport
Driving is the default way to get around, although the Riyadh Metro — with rolling stock from Alstom — is changing that in the capital. French licences are generally accepted for conversion to a Saudi licence without a full driving test, subject to an eye test, an authorised translation and the usual paperwork once you have your Iqama — but the eligible-country list is reviewed periodically, so confirm the current rule with your employer's government-relations (PRO) team. You'll be driving on the right, as at home, but traffic is faster and less forgiving.
Uber and Careem are everywhere and are a reliable option while you wait for your licence. Most expats buy or lease a car within the first few months; bank leasing is common, and petrol is a fraction of French prices.
Schools & Family Life
France is one of the few countries with its own schools in Saudi Arabia: the École Française Internationale de Riyad (AEFE conventionné), the École Française Internationale de Djeddah and the Lycée Français International d'Al Khobar all follow the French national programme through to the baccalauréat, with strong results and a direct route into CPGE, grandes écoles and French universities via Parcoursup. Fees are well below British and American international schools, and bourses scolaires are available for eligible French families through the consulate. Families who prefer an anglophone education still have the British, American and IB schools to choose from.
Secure a place before you sign your contract if you can — the lycées in particular fill up, and the academic year starts in late August or early September, in line with France. Family life revolves around the compound, school and a rapidly growing entertainment scene of cinemas, theme parks and international sport.
French-curriculum schools (AEFE and Mission laïque française network)
Riyadh
- École Française Internationale de Riyad (EFIR) — AEFE conventionné
- British International School Riyadh (BISR)
- American International School Riyadh (AIS-R)
Jeddah
Eastern Province
Waiting lists can be long, particularly for popular year groups, so contact schools and apply as early as possible.
Culture & Daily Life
Saudi Arabia is a conservative Islamic country and understanding local customs matters. Prayer times shape the day, modest dress (shoulders and knees covered) is expected in public, and although the abaya is no longer legally required for expat women, most dress conservatively outside compounds. Alcohol is not available and there are no bars or cafés-terrasses in the French sense — for many French expats that, and the absence of a proper fromagerie and charcuterie, is a bigger adjustment than the heat. Pork products are not sold.
The weekend is Friday and Saturday, and Riyadh is only one to two hours ahead of Paris, so keeping in touch with family is easy. Summers are long and hot — Riyadh regularly passes 45°C, though it is a dry heat, and Jeddah and the Eastern Province are humid — while winters are mild and sunny. French culture is genuinely admired here and French is more widely spoken than you might expect, thanks to the Lebanese and North African communities; learning some Arabic on top of that will transform your experience.
Community & Support
France has one of the larger and best-organised European communities in Saudi Arabia, anchored by the embassy in Riyadh, the consulate-general in Jeddah, three French lycées and a long history of French firms in energy, defence, transport, water, luxury and — more recently — tourism and heritage at AlUla. Most people find their circle through the French schools, compound life, the UFE and Français du Monde associations, rugby and football clubs, and embassy events around 14 juillet. Register on the Registre des Français établis hors de France when you arrive — it also gives you access to consular voting.
Facebook groups
- French in Saudi Arabia (Français en Arabie Saoudite): Ask the French Embassy and established local expat groups for current French community contacts
- City expat groups — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar: Expats in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
- City expat groups — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar: The Expats Club – Riyadh
- City expat groups — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar: Jeddah Expatriates
- City expat groups — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar: Expats Jeddah For All
- City expat groups — Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar: Expatriates in Al Khobar
- Parents and school groups: Most school and parent groups are private WhatsApp groups — ask your lycée's secrétariat or class parent (parent délégué) for an invite
Podcasts & resources
Arrival Checklist
In your first few weeks, get your Iqama processed through your employer's HR team — everything else depends on it. Then open a local bank account, buy a SIM card (STC, Mobily or Zain), install the Absher and Tawakkalna apps, and register your address on the National Address (SPL) system.
Register on the Registre des Français établis hors de France with the embassy in Riyadh or the consulate in Jeddah, and set up your money route home early — decide which Saudi bank and which FX provider you will use before your first salary lands. Then start exploring your neighbourhood and the French and wider expat networks.
Cost of Living: Saudi Arabia vs France
| Item | Cost in Saudi Arabia | Saudi cost in EUR | Typical cost in Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed apartment, good area) | 4,500 SAR | — | EUR 1,500 |
| Groceries (monthly for 1) | 1,400 SAR | — | EUR 320 |
| Utilities (monthly) | 500 SAR | — | EUR 170 |
| Meal at mid-range restaurant | 120 SAR | — | EUR 25 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | 2.33 SAR | — | EUR 1.85 |
| French lycée / international school fees (per year) | 45,000 SAR | — | EUR 8,000 |
| Gym membership (monthly) | 300 SAR | — | EUR 45 |
| Coffee (café crème) | 20 SAR | — | EUR 3 |
| Mobile plan (monthly) | 120 SAR | — | EUR 20 |
| Cleaner (4 hours per week, monthly) | 800 SAR | — | EUR 260 |
| Car insurance (annual) | 2,500 SAR | — | EUR 700 |
Note: Costs are indicative and vary based on lifestyle, neighbourhood, and inflation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia does not levy personal income tax. Whether France taxes your Saudi salary depends on your residency status: if your foyer, main place of stay, main professional activity and centre of economic interests all move with you, you become non-resident and your Saudi salary is outside French tax — though French-source income such as rent is still taxed at a minimum non-resident rate. If your family stays in France, you may remain resident. France and Saudi Arabia have a double tax treaty. Get advice from an expert-comptable before you leave.
Most French expats on local Saudi contracts do. The Caisse des Français de l'Étranger lets you keep contributing voluntarily to French health cover, pension (retraite de base) and accident insurance while abroad, so your Saudi years count towards your trimestres and you are covered on trips home. Join early — there can be a waiting period if you apply long after leaving.
No. The riyal (SAR) is pegged to the US dollar at 3.75, so the EUR/SAR rate simply follows EUR/USD. When the euro weakens against the dollar, your Saudi salary is worth more in euros.
For anything above a few thousand euros, a specialist FX provider like SummitFX will usually beat a bank on the rate — often by 2–3% — with same-day delivery to your French account via SEPA. Open a Saudi bank account that supports payments to third-party FX providers (SAB, in our experience) so you aren't limited to your bank's own rate.
It is no longer legally required for expat women. Modest dress — shoulders and knees covered — is expected in public, and many women still wear an abaya or loose clothing outside compounds for comfort and convenience.
The Iqama is your Saudi residency permit and ID card, issued through your employer. You need it to open a bank account, rent a home, get a SIM, sponsor dependants and convert your driving licence.
Foreign ownership is being opened up gradually but is still limited to specific circumstances and designated zones, and most expats rent. Rent is normally paid annually or half-yearly in advance, so budget for a large upfront payment in your first month.
Yes — there are French lycées in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar following the French national programme through to the baccalauréat, part of the AEFE and Mission laïque française networks, with bourses scolaires available for eligible families. Apply early as places fill up, particularly at lycée level.
Need to transfer EUR to SAR?
Get a bank-beating rate and same-day delivery with SummitFX.
Get a live SAR quote