Before You Leave
Tax residency
Spain treats you as tax resident if you spend more than 183 days a year in Spain, if your main economic interests are there, or if your spouse and minor children live there — so simply leaving is not enough. If you become non-resident, tell the Agencia Tributaria (Modelo 030), file your final IRPF return, and remember that Spanish-source income such as rent is still taxed under the non-resident regime (IRNR), including notional income on a property you keep empty. If you stay resident, the Article 7p exemption can shelter part of foreign employment income, but the rest of your Saudi salary is taxable in Spain. Get advice from an asesor fiscal before you sign.
Home banking and credit cards
Keep at least one Spanish account open for domiciliaciones, a mortgage and emergency access, and tell your bank you are moving abroad so the account isn't blocked; some banks re-designate you as a non-resident customer with different fees. Check foreign card fees and, if you remain tax resident, remember that foreign accounts and assets above the threshold must be declared on Modelo 720. Make sure your online banking and Cl@ve credentials do not depend on a Spanish mobile number you are about to cancel.
Pensions and savings
There is no social security agreement between Spain and Saudi Arabia, so your Saudi years will not count towards a Spanish pension unless you keep contributing through a convenio especial with the Seguridad Social — worth costing out if you are within reach of the minimum contribution period. Planes de pensiones can stay where they are. Review shares and funds for non-resident withholding, and note that Spain's exit tax only applies to large shareholdings. Keep statements for everything and take advice before selling or restructuring.
Document legalisation
Confirm the exact chain with your Saudi employer before paying for anything. Spanish degrees, marriage and birth certificates typically need an Apostille (Ministerio de Justicia or the relevant authority), and university qualifications usually also need legalisation by the Ministerio de Educación and verification through the Saudi embassy in Madrid or the Saudi Cultural Mission. Request your certificado de antecedentes penales early and budget for sworn (jurada) Arabic translations.
Pets and medical records
Pet exports need an official export health certificate from the Ministerio de Agricultura's veterinary service plus Saudi import approval, microchipping and up-to-date rabies vaccination; the sequence takes months, so start early. Request copies of prescriptions, vaccination history, dental records and any specialist notes for each family member — your Spanish public health cover does not travel with you — and carry regular medication in original packaging with a doctor's letter.
Visas & Documents
Spanish 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 certificado de antecedentes penales, and have your qualifications attested — Apostille, Ministerio de Educación legalisation for degrees, and Saudi embassy or Cultural Mission verification — before the visa is issued by the Saudi embassy in Madrid. 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 DNI and NIE rolled into one. Keep a photo of it on your phone.
Employment & Contracts
Spanish professionals in Saudi Arabia are concentrated in engineering, construction, rail, renewables, architecture, healthcare and hospitality, 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 Spanish 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 IRPF. There is no employer pension contribution; 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; Spanish-speaking doctors are rarer, so it helps to be comfortable with medical English.
Check your policy's coverage class, network hospitals and co-payments before you need them. Your tarjeta sanitaria and the Spanish public system will not cover you in the Kingdom, 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
Spanish 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 Spain 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 Spanish expats send part of their tax-free salary home for a hipoteca, savings, family or a convenio especial contribution. 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 hipoteca, supporting family, keeping up a convenio especial 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 Spanish 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 — built in part by a Spanish-led consortium — is changing that in the capital. Spanish 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 Spanish prices.
Schools & Family Life
There is no Spanish-curriculum school in Saudi Arabia, so Spanish families choose between the British curriculum (IGCSE and A-Levels), the American curriculum or the International Baccalaureate. All three are recognised for access to Spanish universities via the UNED credential process (acreditación UNEDasiss), and the IB in particular maps well onto the EBAU. Children who may return to Spain should keep up written Spanish — some families combine an international school with the CIDEAD distance-learning programme from the Spanish Ministry of Education.
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 Spain. Family life revolves around the compound, school and a rapidly growing entertainment scene of cinemas, theme parks and international sport, including La Liga's Supercopa in Riyadh.
International schools popular with Spanish families
Riyadh
- American International School Riyadh (AIS-R)
- British International School Riyadh (BISR)
- Reigate Grammar School Riyadh
Jeddah
Eastern Province
- British International School Al Khobar
- International Schools Group (ISG) — Dhahran, Dammam and Jubail
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 terrazas in the Spanish sense — for many Spaniards that, and the absence of jamón, is a bigger adjustment than the heat.
The weekend is Friday and Saturday, meal times run earlier than in Spain, and Riyadh is only one to two hours ahead of Madrid, 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. Saudis are warm towards Spain and Spanish football, and learning some Arabic on top of that goodwill will transform your experience.
Community & Support
The Spanish community in Saudi Arabia has grown fast on the back of Vision 2030 — Spanish firms built the Haramain high-speed railway and much of the Riyadh Metro, and engineers, architects, renewables specialists and healthcare workers have followed. Most people find their circle through compound life, school parent groups, the wider Spanish-speaking and Latin American community, football and padel, and events run by the Spanish Embassy, the Oficina Comercial and the Consejo de Residentes Españoles. Register in the Registro de Matrícula Consular when you arrive.
Facebook groups
- Spaniards in Saudi Arabia (Españoles en Arabia Saudí): Ask the Spanish Embassy and established local expat groups for current Spanish 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 in the Registro de Matrícula Consular at the Spanish Embassy in Riyadh, 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 Spanish, Spanish-speaking and wider expat networks.
Cost of Living: Saudi Arabia vs Spain
| Item | Cost in Saudi Arabia | Saudi cost in EUR | Typical cost in Madrid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (1-bed apartment, good area) | 4,500 SAR | — | EUR 1,400 |
| Groceries (monthly for 1) | 1,400 SAR | — | EUR 300 |
| Utilities (monthly) | 500 SAR | — | EUR 150 |
| Meal at mid-range restaurant | 120 SAR | — | EUR 22 |
| Petrol (1 litre) | 2.33 SAR | — | EUR 1.6 |
| International / private school fees (per year) | 70,000 SAR | — | EUR 12,000 |
| Gym membership (monthly) | 300 SAR | — | EUR 45 |
| Coffee (café con leche) | 20 SAR | — | EUR 2 |
| Mobile plan (monthly) | 120 SAR | — | EUR 20 |
| Cleaner (4 hours per week, monthly) | 800 SAR | — | EUR 240 |
| Car insurance (annual) | 2,500 SAR | — | EUR 500 |
Note: Costs are indicative and vary based on lifestyle, neighbourhood, and inflation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia does not levy personal income tax. Whether Spain taxes your Saudi salary depends on your residency status: if you become non-resident (fewer than 183 days in Spain, no main economic interests there, and no spouse and minor children living there) your foreign employment income is outside Spanish tax, though Spanish-source income such as rent is still taxed under IRNR. If you remain resident, part of your foreign salary may be exempt under Article 7p but the rest is taxable. Get advice from an asesor fiscal before you leave.
In most cases yes — Spanish licences are generally accepted for conversion without a full driving test, subject to an eye test, an authorised translation and the paperwork once you have your Iqama. The eligible-country list is reviewed periodically, so confirm the current position with your employer's PRO.
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 Spanish 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. Spanish families generally choose the British, American or IB curriculum at one of the international schools in Riyadh, Jeddah or the Eastern Province, sometimes combined with CIDEAD distance learning to keep Spanish qualifications current. All are recognised for Spanish university access via UNEDasiss, but 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