Jeddah - Post Report Question and Answers
What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
The biggest advantage is being right next to the Red Sea. There are few large cities with this easy access to calm waters with beautiful reefs. You also meet people from all over the world and can experience Arab culture in a place that's not as much of a culture shock as other posts might be. At times one can scarcely tell, except for the thobes and abayas, that one isn't in the States. It's also in a great geographic location for exploring the Middle East, North and East Africa, or Europe. - Oct 2022
All the first world amenities offered state side. - Aug 2022
Good international schools, relative ease in commerce, fun adventures in and around Jeddah, particularly for those who like the outdoors, strong international expat community, ease of compound life. - Nov 2020
You get to spend a lot of time assessing your priorities. You know, what you intend to do first when you leave. - Oct 2019
It's better than Riyadh. If you have to go to Saudi, Jeddah is the place to be. - Mar 2019
This is a 25% differential post with a lot of Western conveniences (nice beaches, western restaurants, and shopping markets). The differential mostly comes from the psychological differences and the social isolation that can happen if you're not getting out there and trying to find out what's happening. If you can overcome that, this is not a bad 25% post where you can bring family. - Jan 2019
Saving money because it's hot and people don't go out a lot. Especially in the summer. - Apr 2016
Living in the compound is nice for the kids and money is the reason that most of us came here. how ever, they are not paying danger pay anymore. And they are going to build the new consulate; most of the families are going to live there. - Nov 2015
Now is nice because We are living in Compounds, the kids just take their bikes and go to school, they have a lot of activities here at the compound for the kids, they have bowling, tennis, basketball, soccer, lots of swimming pools, a big park. The kids are really happy here.You have the gym, the supermarket, the restaurant here, getting out from the compound is difficult, you have to call motor pool, they take around 40 minutes to arrive,When they have vehicles available, from 4-5 you can not ask for any vehicle because is shuttle time,in addition you have to calculate the prayer time, is every 3 hours but it last for around 40 minutes.And you have to wear an Abaya( islamic black dress long and with long sleeves) And believe me, with 120 degrees, wear this is really uncomfortable.. But you don't have to leave the compound a lot, We have everything here. However they are building the new consulate, and most of the families are going to live there. This is going to take the best and only advantage of living here. - Oct 2015
We have some museums, ruins and the beach around 45 minutes from the town. It is a very expensive city. You can't save money, especially since they cut the 15% danger pay and the SND. It is very humid and hot, and we get dust storms from time to time. - Oct 2015
Great flight connections out of Jeddah to the Middle East, Europe, and even some to Asia. High differentials allow easy saving as long as you don't go too crazy on travel. Although many stores are available in Jeddah, most are either out of our price range, only sell junk or are too cumbersome to go to. - Aug 2015
Money, there is not to much to spend here. I think honestly this is one of the best places I've ever been with kids: the compound is very safe, the kids go to the playground every day and play all day long, you don't have to be worry about anything, We live in Sierra compound which is, for me, by far the best compound. I've been in some others and this is the one I like the most. The American school is attached to the compound, so our boys just take their bikes and go to school. The boys don't even want to be out of the compound. From 8 years on, kids can take scuba diving lessons here in the pools of the compound. And, you can go to the beach - it is important to say that the beach is not free (you have to pay) but there are good beaches, clean and with most expat people, women can wear a bikini etc. Some people travel to Dubai, Thailand and some other places - travel in the region is not far and not expensive. It is important to know that the new consulate is going to be ready in about 3 years and they are going to move the American school and the compound there. I've seen the proyect, and no doubt the homes are going to be better than the homes in la Sierra (the compound is great but the homes are kind of small and simple; the bedrooms and bathrooms are tiny, in some of the bedrooms if you have 2 twin beds you cannot even open the closet). - Feb 2014
I have yet to tire of the weather in Jeddah. It's hot in the summer, but not as oppressive as one might think (highs rarely get above 105F) but very pleasant for about 5 months during the winter, with temperatures topping out in the mid-80s and lows rarely going below 70F. I've also been surprised at how much there is to do outside of Jeddah, if you are a little adventurous, speak decent Arabic, and are male. I acknowledge that a lot of what I have to say simply won't be applicable for single females, for whom living in Saudi Arabia would be quite stifling. Within 8-10 hours of Jeddah one can find ancient Nabatean cities (Mada'in Saleh, a sister city to Petra), rock cities built on marble escarpments (Dhee Ein), cool mountain towns (al-Baha and Abha), and amazing vistas from winding mountain highways looking off toward the coastal plains. Desert camping away from city lights is also very worthwhile. Also the scuba diving in the Red Sea is world class. - Dec 2013
A rare view of what it's like to live in Saudi Arabia and also to see places that few non-Muslims ever see. Easy access to Makkah if you're Muslim. Dates (the edible kind, not the social kind). Saving money. Resort-like living quarters on compounds. - May 2013
Witnessing social change in the Kingdom is history in real time. - Nov 2010
