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Analytics
Medina, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦
#145
,
Nomad Score:
54%
💰 Cost & Affordability
💸 Cost of Living
61%
Weight: 150
Moderate cost of living compared to global standards; cheaper than Riyadh but more expensive than smaller towns.
🏠 Accommodation Cost
54%
Weight: 80
Rental prices are moderate; furnished apartments for short-term stays can be pricey due to limited supply.
🍎 Food & Groceries
72%
Weight: 40
Local markets and supermarkets offer affordable groceries; eating out is moderately priced with many traditional options.
🚌 Transportation Cost
78%
Weight: 20
Public transport is limited but taxis and ride-hailing apps are affordable; fuel prices are low.
🎟️ Entertainment Cost
43%
Weight: 15
Limited entertainment options due to cultural restrictions; cinemas and concerts are rare.
🏋️ Gym Membership Cost
60%
Weight: 10
Gyms are available but fewer in number; membership fees are moderate.
💱 Currency Stability
87%
Weight: 30
Saudi Riyal is pegged to the US dollar, providing strong currency stability.
💻 Digital Nomad Essentials
🚀 Internet Speed
75%
Weight: 100
Good 4G and fiber internet coverage in urban areas; speeds are reliable for remote work.
👥 Coworking Spaces Availability
32%
Weight: 40
Very limited coworking spaces; most digital nomads rely on cafes or hotels.
☕ Cafes with WiFi
65%
Weight: 30
Several cafes offer WiFi but the culture of working from cafes is not widespread.
💻☕ Digital Nomad Friendly Cafes
38%
Weight: 30
Few cafes cater specifically to digital nomads; seating and power outlets are limited.
🌟 Digital Nomad Popularity
21%
Weight: 100
Medina is not a popular destination for digital nomads due to cultural and infrastructure limitations.
📱 Local SIM Card Availability
80%
Weight: 25
Easy to obtain SIM cards with good data plans for tourists and residents.
🌟 Quality of Life
⚖️ Work-Life Balance
67%
Weight: 30
Strong emphasis on family and religious life; work hours can be long but social life is centered around community.
🌳 Environmental Quality
60%
Weight: 15
Generally clean environment but urban dust and desert conditions affect air quality.
🧼 Cleanliness
78%
Weight: 10
City is well-maintained with regular cleaning efforts, especially around religious sites.
🗨️ Language Barrier
45%
Weight: 30
Arabic is dominant; English is spoken in business and tourist areas but limited elsewhere.
💨 Air Quality
52%
Weight: 15
Air quality can be poor due to dust storms and desert environment.
👨👩👧👦 Family Friendly
65%
Weight: 25
Safe environment with family-oriented culture; limited entertainment for children.
🏥 Healthcare
🏥 Healthcare Quality
70%
Weight: 20
Good healthcare facilities with modern hospitals, especially for residents and pilgrims.
💉 Healthcare Affordability
65%
Weight: 25
Public healthcare is affordable; private care can be expensive without insurance.
🏥 Healthcare
71%
Weight: 20
Access to quality healthcare is good, with several hospitals and clinics available.
🌿 Climate & Environment
☀️ Weather
79%
Weight: 80
Hot desert climate with very hot summers and mild winters; mostly sunny and dry.
🌪️ Natural Disaster Risk
85%
Weight: 10
Low risk of natural disasters; occasional sandstorms are the main concern.
🏞️ Green Spaces
30%
Weight: 10
Limited green spaces due to desert environment; parks are small and scarce.
❄️ Air Conditioning
89%
Weight: 15
Widely available and essential due to hot climate; most buildings are well air-conditioned.
🍂 Seasonal Variety
25%
Weight: 10
Minimal seasonal variation; climate is consistently hot and dry.
🔊 Noise Pollution
70%
Weight: 10
Generally low noise pollution except during religious events and traffic peaks.
🎭 Culture & Entertainment
🎭 Culture
74%
Weight: 20
Rich Islamic cultural heritage; conservative social norms dominate.
🌃 Nightlife
12%
Weight: 15
Very limited nightlife options due to cultural and religious restrictions.
🏞️ Outdoors & Nature
50%
Weight: 15
Desert landscapes and religious sites offer unique outdoor experiences but limited recreational nature activities.
🗣️ Language Learning Opportunities
55%
Weight: 10
Opportunities to learn Arabic exist but are limited; few formal language schools.
🧭 Local Experiences & Tours
78%
Weight: 10
Rich religious and historical tours available; pilgrimage-related experiences dominate.
🎳 Indoors Fun
37%
Weight: 10
Limited indoor entertainment options; malls and shopping centers are main venues.
🍎 Food & Fitness
🍽️ Food Scene
68%
Weight: 25
Traditional Saudi cuisine is prevalent; limited international food options.
🧠 Yoga Studios
15%
Weight: 10
Very few or no dedicated yoga studios due to cultural norms.
🏋️ Fitness Facilities
58%
Weight: 15
Gyms and fitness centers exist but are fewer compared to larger cities.
🥗 Healthy Food Options
59%
Weight: 15
Availability of fresh produce and traditional healthy dishes; limited organic or specialty health food stores.
💼 Work Environment
🕰️ Time Zone Favorability
70%
Weight: 20
GMT+3 timezone is favorable for European and Middle Eastern remote work schedules.
🤝 Networking Opportunities
30%
Weight: 25
Limited professional networking events for digital nomads or startups.
💻 Remote Job Opportunities
28%
Weight: 20
Local remote job market is small; most digital nomads rely on international clients.
🆓 Freelance Ecosystem
25%
Weight: 20
Freelance community is minimal; limited platforms or local support.
🏢 Coworking Quality
29%
Weight: 30
Few coworking spaces exist; quality and amenities are basic.
📈 Business & Economy
🚀 Startup Scene
40%
Weight: 15
Emerging startup ecosystem focused mainly in Riyadh and Jeddah; Medina less developed.
💳 Local Payment Services
63%
Weight: 10
Good mobile payment and banking apps; cash still widely used.
🔗 Blockchain & Crypto Adoption
35%
Weight: 15
Regulatory environment cautious; limited adoption and acceptance.
🚆 Transportation
✈️ Airport Connectivity
67%
Weight: 30
Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport offers regional flights; limited international connections.
🚇 Public Transit
20%
Weight: 20
Public transportation infrastructure is minimal; reliance on taxis and private cars.
🚶 Walkability
41%
Weight: 20
City center is somewhat walkable but hot climate limits walking comfort.
🚗 Ride-sharing Services
74%
Weight: 15
Uber and local ride-hailing apps like Careem operate reliably.
🚲 Cycling
18%
Weight: 10
Cycling infrastructure is almost non-existent; desert heat discourages cycling.
🚄 Intercity Travel Options
60%
Weight: 15
Good road network and bus services to other cities; domestic flights available.
🛵 Scooter/Bike Rental Availability
10%
Weight: 10
No significant scooter or bike rental services.
📡 Connectivity
📱 Mobile Network Coverage
83%
Weight: 20
Strong 4G and expanding 5G coverage throughout the city.
🔒 VPN Reliability
65%
Weight: 20
VPNs work but some restrictions and slower speeds may occur.
⚡ Power Grid Reliability
80%
Weight: 15
Stable electricity supply with rare outages.
📶 Public WiFi Availability
40%
Weight: 10
Limited public WiFi hotspots; mostly available in malls and hotels.
⚖️ Legal & Administrative
🛂 Visa Ease
55%
Weight: 40
Tourist visas available but digital nomad-specific visas are not; religious pilgrimage visas dominate.
📊 Tax Friendliness
75%
Weight: 30
No personal income tax; favorable for freelancers and remote workers.
🗣️ Freedom of Speech
20%
Weight: 15
Strict regulations on speech and expression; limited freedom compared to Western standards.
🏛️ Political Stability
78%
Weight: 20
Stable political environment with strong government control.
🏦 Ease of Opening Bank Account
40%
Weight: 15
Challenging for foreigners without residency; requires significant documentation.
📄 Ease of Business Registration
50%
Weight: 10
Process improving but still bureaucratic, especially for foreigners.
📄✈️ Digital Nomad Visa Availability
0%
Weight: 35
No digital nomad visa currently available.
🌍 Digital Nomad Community
🌍 Nomad Friendly
25%
Weight: 50
Limited infrastructure and cultural restrictions make it less friendly for digital nomads.
🤝 Nomad Events & Meetups
10%
Weight: 25
Very few or no digital nomad meetups or events.
🌐👥 Online Community Presence
23%
Weight: 20
Minimal online presence or support groups for digital nomads in Medina.
🛡️ Safety & Tolerance
🛡️ Safety
85%
Weight: 100
Generally very safe with low crime rates and strong law enforcement.
♀️ Female Friendly
30%
Weight: 50
Conservative society with restrictions on women's freedoms; improving but still limited.
✊ Racial Tolerance
50%
Weight: 50
Moderate tolerance; expatriates are common but cultural integration is limited.