Before You Leave
Tax residency
Deregister from the Basisregistratie Personen (BRP) at your gemeente when you leave — this is the formal signal that you are emigrating, and it triggers the end of Dutch health insurance and the M-form for your year of departure. Whether you are still Dutch tax resident is judged on your overall circumstances, so cut the ties that matter: a home kept available, family remaining, a Dutch employer. As a non-resident you are still taxed on Dutch-source income, including Box 3 tax on Dutch property you keep. The Netherlands and Saudi Arabia have a tax treaty. Take advice from a belastingadviseur before you sign, particularly if you hold a substantial shareholding or a pension with a large accrued value.
Home banking and credit cards
Keep at least one Dutch account open for automatische incasso's, a mortgage and emergency access — but check first, because some Dutch banks restrict or close accounts for customers living outside the EEA once you deregister. Ask your bank in writing what their policy is before you leave. Check foreign card fees, and make sure your online banking, DigiD and Belastingdienst logins do not depend on a Dutch mobile number you are about to cancel.
Pensions and savings
Your AOW state pension stops accruing the day you deregister — you lose roughly 2% of the full AOW for every year abroad — and you have one year to apply for voluntary AOW insurance with the SVB if you want to keep building it up. There is no social security agreement between the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia. Your workplace pension stays with your pensioenfonds and can be left to grow. If you have a DUO student loan, tell DUO you are leaving; repayments continue. Review investments for non-resident treatment and take advice before selling or restructuring.
Document legalisation
Confirm the exact chain with your Saudi employer before paying for anything. Dutch birth and marriage certificates need an Apostille from a rechtbank, and diplomas are typically legalised by DUO and then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (CDC) before verification by the Saudi embassy in The Hague or the Saudi Cultural Mission. Request your Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag (VOG) from Justis early and budget for sworn Arabic translations once you arrive.
Pets and medical records
Pet exports need an official health certificate endorsed by the NVWA plus Saudi import approval, microchipping and up-to-date rabies vaccination; the sequence takes months, so start early. Your Dutch basisverzekering ends when you deregister and cannot be kept, so your employer's Saudi policy becomes your only cover. Request copies of prescriptions, vaccination history, dental records and any specialist notes for each family member, and carry regular medication in original packaging with a doctor's letter.
Visas & Documents
Dutch 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 a VOG from Justis, and have your qualifications legalised — DUO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for diplomas, a rechtbank Apostille for civil documents, then Saudi embassy or Cultural Mission verification — before the visa is issued by the Saudi embassy in The Hague. 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 BSN, ID card and residence permit in one. Keep a photo of it on your phone.
Employment & Contracts
Dutch professionals in Saudi Arabia work in energy and energy transition, water management, agriculture and horticulture, logistics, engineering, healthcare and education, and 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. Check whether housing is provided or paid as cash, whether the flight allowance covers dependants, and whether you are on a local Saudi contract or seconded from a Dutch employer — the tax and social security 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 Box 1 rates. There is no employer pension contribution and no vakantiegeld; 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, 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. The experience is very different from the Netherlands: no huisarts gatekeeping, direct access to specialists, and far more willingness to prescribe — which some Dutch expats find refreshing and others find unnerving.
Check your policy's coverage class, network hospitals and co-payments before you need them. Your basisverzekering ends when you deregister and cannot be continued, so your employer's policy — or a top-up international plan — is your only cover. 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
Dutch 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 the Netherlands 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 Dutch expats send part of their tax-free salary home for a hypotheek, voluntary AOW 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 hypotheek, making voluntary AOW contributions, repaying DUO 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 Dutch 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 — cycling to work is not an option here — although the Riyadh Metro is changing that in the capital. Dutch 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 Dutch prices.
Schools & Family Life
There is no Dutch-curriculum school in Saudi Arabia, so Dutch families choose between the British curriculum (IGCSE and A-Levels), the American curriculum or the International Baccalaureate. All three are accepted for entry to Dutch universities — the IB Diploma and A-Levels are both treated as equivalent to a vwo diploma for most programmes, subject to specific subject requirements. Children who may return to the Netherlands should keep up written Dutch; Stichting NOB supports Dutch-language (NTC) lessons abroad and can tell you what exists locally.
Secure a school place before you sign your contract if you can — waiting lists at the popular schools are long, and the academic year starts in late August or early September, in line with the Netherlands. Family life revolves around the compound, school and a rapidly growing entertainment scene of cinemas, theme parks and international sport.
International schools popular with Dutch families
Riyadh
- British International School Riyadh (BISR)
- American International School Riyadh (AIS-R)
- Reigate Grammar School Riyadh
Jeddah
Eastern Province
- International Schools Group (ISG) — Dhahran, Dammam and Jubail
- British International School Al Khobar
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, there are no bars or terrasjes, and the Dutch habit of saying exactly what you think benefits from a little softening — indirectness is a courtesy here, not evasion.
The weekend is Friday and Saturday, and Riyadh is only one to two hours ahead of Amsterdam, 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. Learning some Arabic and accepting Saudi hospitality when it is offered will transform your experience.
Community & Support
The Dutch community in Saudi Arabia is modest but long-established — the Eastern Province has had Dutch engineers around Aramco and Shell-linked projects for decades, and water, agriculture, logistics and energy-transition specialists have followed under Vision 2030. Most people find their circle through compound life, school parent groups, hockey and football clubs, cycling groups and events run by the Dutch Embassy in Riyadh and the honorary consuls in Jeddah and Dammam. Check the NederlandWereldwijd pages before you go and register your details so the embassy can reach you.
Facebook groups
- Dutch in Saudi Arabia (Nederlanders in Saoedi-Arabië): Ask the Dutch embassy and established local expat groups for current Dutch 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 school's admissions team or class rep 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 your details with the Dutch Embassy in Riyadh via NederlandWereldwijd, 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 Dutch and wider expat networks.
Cost of Living: Saudi Arabia vs Netherlands
| Item | Cost in Saudi Arabia | Saudi cost in EUR | Typical cost in Amsterdam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed apartment, good area) | 4,500 SAR | — | EUR 1,900 |
| Groceries (monthly for 1) | 1,400 SAR | — | EUR 350 |
| Utilities (monthly) | 500 SAR | — | EUR 220 |
| Meal at mid-range restaurant | 120 SAR | — | EUR 25 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | 2.33 SAR | — | EUR 2.05 |
| International / private school fees (per year) | 70,000 SAR | — | EUR 15,000 |
| Gym membership (monthly) | 300 SAR | — | EUR 45 |
| Coffee (cappuccino) | 20 SAR | — | EUR 3.5 |
| Mobile plan (monthly) | 120 SAR | — | EUR 20 |
| Cleaner (4 hours per week, monthly) | 800 SAR | — | EUR 280 |
| Car insurance (annual) | 2,500 SAR | — | EUR 900 |
Note: Costs are indicative and vary based on lifestyle, neighbourhood, and inflation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia does not levy personal income tax. Whether the Netherlands taxes your Saudi salary depends on your residency status, judged on your overall circumstances rather than a fixed day count: if you deregister from the BRP and cut your main ties, your foreign employment income is outside Dutch tax, though Dutch-source income such as property is still taxed. The Netherlands and Saudi Arabia have a tax treaty. Get advice from a belastingadviseur before you leave.
AOW accrual stops the day you deregister — each year abroad costs roughly 2% of the full state pension. You can apply to the SVB for voluntary AOW insurance within one year of leaving to keep building it up, at a premium based on your income. Your workplace pension is unaffected and stays with your fund.
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 Dutch 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.
No. Dutch families generally choose the British, American or IB curriculum at one of the international schools in Riyadh, Jeddah or the Eastern Province — all accepted by Dutch universities — and use Stichting NOB-supported Dutch lessons to keep the language up. Apply early as waiting lists are long.
Need to transfer EUR to SAR?
Get a bank-beating rate and same-day delivery with SummitFX.
Get a live SAR quote