This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Banke Adebola, 31, an accountant who moved from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia. She moved to the capital city, Riyadh, in May 2024. It’s been edited for length and clarity.
My husband accepted a job offer three years ago, so I fit my life in about three suitcases and left my home in London.
Now, I’m an accountant working remotely in Saudi Arabia.
I’m not going to lie. When my husband moved to Riyadh, I said, “Let’s stay a year or two, then come back to London.” I had no idea what it would be like living here as a Christian Black woman, but my tune has changed. I’ve surprised myself with how much I like it here.
There were things about Riyadh that surprised me
Since my husband already had friends living in Riyadh, finding an apartment wasn’t hard.
For the first year, we rented an apartment, but we live in a compound now because it’s closer to where my husband works.
Expats tend to flock to compounds because there are no dress restrictions and there are amenities. Europeans, Americans, and people from all over the world live in a compound, which is a bit pricer than a normal apartment. On the other hand, some other expats want to live with the locals.
One of the first things I had to come to terms with was that Riyadh is heavily reliant on cars and driving, so most locals don’t rely on public transport. The Riyadh Metro Station opened last year, which is quite popular, but you still have to drive to the metro.
In London, I would dedicate my Saturday mornings to walking around the town and grabbing a coffee on the way back. You can’t really do that here because there aren’t as many places around as in London.
The Saudi government is trying to add more greenery, but it’s not really a walkable city yet. It’s too hot to walk half the year anyway because temperatures can reach 113°F.
Another was how to dress. When you hear about Saudi Arabia, you might think, “Oh, I need to buy a scarf or wear an Abaya.” You don’t need to do that as an expat.
If you’re not Muslim or if you’re not from Saudi Arabia, there are no expectations to cover up like the locals do. You can wear whatever you want as long as you are dressed modestly and respectful of the culture.
Many Saudis, or people who live in Riyadh, are Muslim, so it’s embedded in the culture, and you will hear prayer calls all day. During Ramadan, many stores are closed during the day because people are fasting. The local coffee shop will be open from about 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., which I hadn’t experienced before. Being Christian, it kind of encouraged me to take my faith more seriously because they take theirs very seriously.
Also, the workweek in Saudi Arabia is Sunday to Thursday. I still get confused sometimes, and it’s taken me a while to adjust to it.
So far, the biggest impact that it’s had on my life is that my mental health is much better here. It’s not like I hated the UK, but I always had seasonal depression.
When it was winter in London, I never wanted to leave the house, but I don’t have any of that here. Even during the winter in Riyadh, it’s always sunny. It’s improved my quality of life and mental health. I just feel lighter here. Especially coming from the corporate world in London, where everything’s quick.
Riyadh is a modern city that’s continuing to grow
Riyadh has grown since I first visited. My husband and I have met more expats in the last six months than ever before.
The government has something called Saudi Vision 2030. They’re trying to make Saudi Arabia a top travel destination, so they’ve introduced lots of new entertainment. There are lots of boxing matches now, and last year, we hosted a tennis tournament with Rafael Nadal.
If you visit, you will be surprised how much you like Saudi Arabia. There are so many things tourists can do, like visiting the museums or Boulevard World, which has exhibitions of different countries showcasing the food and culture.
Saudi Arabia is much more modern than people give it credit for.
