If you are an expatriate coming to Jeddah for work or business, you may wonder where is the right choice of place to live in?
Saudi Arabia for the expatriate is a land of culture shock from many aspects. The customs, habits, working hours, work culture and lifestyle are peculiar to the Kingdom. It is easy to live in the general community but it would be better to ask your company to provide compound accommodation as part of the employment package.
Accommodation
Life in a compound is easy, relaxing and more interactive. The compounds offer a safe, comfortable and cosy environment especially for families with children. Swimming pools, tennis courts, children playgrounds and recreation centres provide a variety of activities and community social life to its inhabitants and new arrivals. Residents from single to families enjoy building their own circle of friends and contacts.
There are plenty of such compounds existing in Jeddah, ranging from few units, medium number of 200 to 500 units to almost 1000 units in clusters design. They are of good quality housing facilities with above average or high standard comfortable homes.
Facilities and Amenities
Usually, compounds are equipped with 24-hour maintenance team to render instant services to lighten the burden of works one meets in the house from changing light bulbs, operating electrical appliances, plumbing, ventilation, air-conditioning, engineering related works and other house upkeeps. You may hire maid services with compound approval to clean your house from sweeping floors, wiping tables, cleaning sofa, windows, kitchen, to washing and ironing your clothes. The services are paid according to hourly, weekly, monthly charges ranging from SR 20-30 per hour to SR 600 to 900 per month (2 to 3 visits weekly). Your garden are trimmed and taken care of by the maintenance team too.
Basic facilities covered in the rent include maintenance, satellite TV subscription, organized activities for residents, swimming pool(s), shopping bus(es), school bus(es), limousine (taxi) service, indoor or outdoor children playground(s), tennis / squash / basket ball courts etc. Large compounds even have on-site mini-market, restaurant, hairdresser/barber, travel agent, library, information centre, bowling alleys, gymnasiums, nursery and pre-school for younger children.
Compounds life cater the needs of oversea families by providing a community or village-like atmosphere with a friendly and familiar cultural ambience. The security at a compound also greatly enhanced after many incidents around the worlds giving a safe and secured living place but also leaving some difficulties to visitors.
Price
It ranges from SR 45,000 to SR 95,000 for a 1-room or 2-room type house in a compound of higher end, to a 2-room or 3-room cozy dwelling space in a smaller or medium range compound with basic facilities.
For price tag of SR 120,000 and above, you would see an offer of 3-room ample space villas in compounds well-equipped with all mentioned amenities and facilities.
The prices vary depends on compound type, locations and quality of living surroundings. It is better to get few quotations and bargain with the compound salespersons before making up your mind on the choice.
Other Considerations
Everyone may has his own needs and taste in selecting the compound, so do not hesitate to ask around friends or residents of other compounds. Big in size with moderate price may give you a crowd with warming atmosphere while expensive one might be quiet and soul-less.
Look into the contents of quoted prices to check what are actually covered. Some compound cover utility bills while some do not. Compare as many as you can or you may go to online forum, question and answer session to ask for second opinions if time is limited to your visit.
If you are bringing your wife and children together, you may need to consider transportation for both of them. School buses shall be included in the rent most of the time while shopping buses are free with fixed time to drop wives and pick up them at designated shopping centres. You may be provided a company driver, or you may contract a full time driver on your own, or you can arrange with a taxi that you carefully select so that he can send you or your family members to any places in the city and back to compound with lower rate than other taxis for frequent travel.
If you are cost conscious or budget constraint, try to balance up multiple expenses before finalized a selection. Choosing an ideal location to suit your most frequent daily travel to working places, sending children to school while living in a medium-priced compound of better quality would be of a wise choice than selecting a cheaper compound far away but consume most of your time and expenses in travel to and fro from one place to another.
Now, you may start viewing some compounds below,
(1) Arabian Homes
(2) Al Baseteen Village
(3) Lotus Compounds
(4) Mura Bustan
(5) Sharbatly Village
(6) Abdullah Compound
(7) Abir Compound
(8) Al Andalus Luxury Villas
(9) Al Aoun Village
(10) Belleview
(11) Binzagr Villa Compound
(12) Fatma Compound
(13) Garden City Compound
(14) Al Hajrayn Village
(15) Al Hamra Villas
(16) Hiba Compound
(17) Kindi Housing Compound
(18) Mosly Residential Complex
(19) Nada Village
(20) Nueve Andalucia
(21) Oasis I Compound
(22) Oasis II, III Compound
(23) Rania Compound
(24) Rawdah Compound
(25) Reem Compound
(26) Al Rumaih Compound
(27) Al Salam Compound
(28) Salmia Compound
(29) Saripalms Compound
(30) Saudia City
(31) Shaker Village Compound
(32) Siham Compound
(33) Al-Saraya Compound
(34) Sunset Village
Outside Jeddah
(1) Azzam Compound
(2) Dive Village
(3) Golf Village
(4) M&M Compound
