offered position in Riyadh - compound or not

Stay in a compound.

Alex

Outside Villas very cheap and nice,no need for compound . 37 000 per year for 4 bedroom villa in good area.

Arabian Homes 4 Bed Villa will set you back 220000 SAR a year next year. Just had my bill for next year. Glad I am not paying!

Hi endoftime

Compound choice is better.
but try to know the condition of it and the place.

Don't listen to anyone telling you not to live in a compound. If your company will pay to stay in a compound, go. Especially if you are a westerner/european, you will NEED the extra freedom. I can see you're a single male so trust me dude, get a compound.

It is very Simple ..if hi scompany give him allowance of 11 K per month he can put more than 90 K per year to his pocket. They days that Expats HAVE to live in a compound are long over ..I am here for eight years and should know . I pay 37 K per year for a huge villa outside na dhave absolutely no problems and very happy . Why should I pay 220 k just to have a swimming pool and restaurant inside the compound? maybe only because lot of booze available there?

Outside is tops.

Move to the compound (and take me with you! )

Andreduan wrote:

It is very Simple ..if hi scompany give him allowance of 11 K per month he can put more than 90 K per year to his pocket. They days that Expats HAVE to live in a compound are long over ..I am here for eight years and should know . I pay 37 K per year for a huge villa outside na dhave absolutely no problems and very happy . Why should I pay 220 k just to have a swimming pool and restaurant inside the compound? maybe only because lot of booze available there?

Outside is tops.

Sure if you're 54.

alpha89 wrote:

Sure if you're 54.

I would say if you're married, it's fine.  But if you're single and want to have friends visiting you, nosy neighbors are always a concern (you don't have 'immunity' like in compounds).

When you read through the threads here, you will constantly see people asking to be invited into compounds - or asking if there are parties/gatherings in compounds.  Living inside a compound does give you some freedoms that you will not necessarily be able to experience outside a compound without looking over your shoulder or without the prying eyes of your neighbors.

I am single so I do not really care if I live inside or outside but since my company paid for this accomodation and I really did not have the patience nor the time to look for a place to live when I first moved here so it's all good to me.

One of the guys in the compound is teaching me tai chi so that is good as well for me - can I get this same instruction outside a compound for free? 

thanks guys - it's as clear as mud, haha - seems to be perhaps look to compound initially until I figure out the landscape and culture a bit and then decide.

alpha89 wrote:

Don't listen to anyone telling you not to live in a compound. If your company will pay to stay in a compound, go. Especially if you are a westerner/european, you will NEED the extra freedom. I can see you're a single male so trust me dude, get a compound.

not just westerner/european wants there extra freedom my friend
we also  need that !