Buying Property in Saudi Arabia from Abroad

What non-resident buyers need to know about buying in Saudi Arabia: approved zones, ownership types, required set-up, registration, taxes and off-plan rules.

Where non-Saudis living abroad can buy

Buying is not open across the whole country. Non-Saudis living abroad may purchase only within geographic zones approved by the Council of Ministers. In Riyadh and Jeddah these zones cover specific areas rather than entire cities, so the first step is always to check whether a particular address falls inside one.

Our shortlists are built around your brief, and we only put forward homes that suit your needs and the zone rules. Browse the current selection of 12 projects, with prices starting from SAR 1,050,000.

Full ownership or another right

What you can acquire depends on the zone. In some a non-Saudi may obtain full ownership, while in others the right on offer is a different real right, such as usufruct. Be clear before you view which of these applies to the home you like, because it shapes what you are actually buying.

What a non-resident must set up first

Before buying, a non-resident needs a Saudi digital identity, a bank account in the Kingdom and a Saudi phone number registered in their own name. It is worth starting these early, since they come before the purchase itself and can take time to arrange from overseas.

How the purchase is registered

Non-Saudis apply through the official Saudi Properties portal run by the Real Estate General Authority. Ownership takes effect only once the transaction is registered in the Real Estate Registry, so registration is the moment that counts, not the signing of an agreement.

Taxes, fees and currency

Property sales are subject to the real estate transaction tax. Transactions by non-Saudis can also carry a separate fee collected by the Real Estate General Authority. Prices and payments are in Saudi riyals, so factor in your own currency exchange when planning a budget.

Buying off-plan safely

A developer selling off-plan must hold a licence from the Real Estate General Authority. Buyers' payments must go into a dedicated escrow account for each project, which is a useful safeguard to ask about before you commit.

We offer private viewings, including for buyers seeing a home for the first time from abroad. Reach us by phone or email and we will reply with options matched to your brief.

Updated October 2026 · Data: Palmera