Riyadh - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Lots of expats and most really enjoyed living in Riyadh. - Jul 2021
Huge. A third of the city is from another country. Most are from Africa and Asia, but there are some Europeans and North Americans too. Morale is about what you’d expect here. Few people truly love it here, many hate it, and some are pleasantly surprised that it’s not as bad as they thought it would be. - Feb 2018
People seemed happy enough in Riyadh -- I expected everybody to be miserable, but they weren't. Embassy employees often extend their tours there, and some outside of the embassy community have stayed on for years. I don't know the size of the expatriate community, but I'd say fairly large. - Oct 2017
It's huge and varied. I had no idea there would be so many expats here. Morale also widely varies. A lot of people can't stand it and a surprising number of people claim to love it. As with any place, it's what you make of it. - Jan 2017
Huge community, some thrived and some didn't. It's harder on the women, of course, but many Western women I met were very happy there. Some even enjoyed wearing abayas since they could wear next to nothing underneath them in hot weather, and they enjoyed the respite from the bottom-pinching, wolf whistles, and catcalls that prevail in other cultures. In the DQ you can wear what you want. - May 2016
Large. Morale depends on where you work, and for who. - Nov 2015
Big size, low morale. Americans working for the embassy are unhappy in general. The management is trying to take as many privileges from them as possible: limiting the motor pool, perhaps on closing the Annex-recreational center, limiting embassy events, etc. Danger pay has been taken away. - Oct 2015
Large, poor morale. - Oct 2015
Men like it better. Many women are very frustrated with lack of mobility and treatment of women. - Jan 2015
Large expat community, morale generally low. Not much to do, lack of entertainment, and travel is expensive. Material comforts are nice, but going to Bahrain frequently helps. - Sep 2014
People seem happy enough here -- I expected everybody to be miserable, but they aren't. People also don't seem to want to leave, which surprised me. - Mar 2014
There is a large expat community. You have people who adjust well here, then unfortunately others who are quite miserable and wish they were anywhere else but here. - Dec 2013
Large expat community. Moral is mixed some are fed up with life here and want to get out. Some accept it but no one I know loves it. - Oct 2013
Medium. - Mar 2013
Surprisingly large. However, many groups tend to socilize with others on their housing compounds. - Apr 2011
Large. - Jul 2010
It's pretty large. - Mar 2010
Sizable. - Jan 2010
Quite large. - Dec 2009
Extremely large and because of the difficulties of dealing with Saudis, the expats hang out together a lot. - Oct 2008
Surprisingly large. - Aug 2008
