Essentials
- Currency & Banking
- 1 SAR ≈ 0.27 USD. Fixed exchange rate.
- City
- Tabuk, Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia
- Population
- 670,000
- Internet Speed
- 95 Mbps avg on 5G; STC and Zain offer excellent coverage
- Tap Water
- Not recommended for drinking; buy 15L bottled water for 12 SAR
- Power
- 230V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type G (UK style) sockets
- SIM Card
- STC (Sawa) or Mobily; 100GB data package for approx. 184 SAR ($49)
- Banking for Expats
- Al Rajhi Bank, SNB (AlAhli); STC Pay is the essential digital wallet
- Accommodation
- Furnished apartments (Haraj or Gathern apps) are common; 3,500 - 5,500 SAR/month
- Cashless Friendly
- Highly cashless; Mada, Apple Pay, and Visa/Mastercard accepted everywhere
- Short Term Rentals
- Gathern (local Airbnb equivalent) and Booking.com
- Budget Accommodation
- Sama Tabuk Hotel Apartments (approx. 200 SAR/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Al-Muruuj or Al-Rayyan (close to malls and restaurants)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Al-Ulaya or Al-Muruuj for proximity to high-speed fiber and cafes
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- WorkHub (Prince Sultan St) - Approx 60 SAR/day
- Best Cafe for Work
- Barn’s (King Fahd Rd) or Overdose Coffee; quiet mornings, good Wi-Fi
- Networking Events
- Tabuk Chamber of Commerce business meetups; Startup Grind Saudi events
- Social Events for Expats
- InterNations Tabuk Group and private compound social clubs
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber and Careem; local 'Kaiian' app is also popular
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Limited; mostly available in specific park zones like Prince Fahd bin Sultan Park
- Best Beach Nearby
- Sharma Beach (approx 140km away), near the NEOM construction site
- Top Regional Airline
- flyadeal and Flynas for low-cost domestic flights
- Top International Airline
- Saudia (Saudi Arabian Airlines) with direct flights to Dubai and Cairo
- Highway Access
- Highway 15 connects to Madinah; Highway 55 leads to the Jordan border
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Tabuk Regional Airport (TUU); no metro/train within city yet
- Public Transport Passes
- SAPTCO bus network serves regional routes; no local city pass system
- Regional Travel
- SAPTCO VIP buses to Al-Ula (3.5 hours) for approx 120 SAR
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- King Salman Armed Forces Hospital or King Fahad Specialist Hospital
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Soul Yoga Studio (Female only); most high-end hotels have mixed gyms
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Fitness Time (King Abdullah Rd); Pro membership approx 450 SAR/month
- Laundry Services
- Al-Nada Automatic Laundry; approx 5 SAR per shirt/item
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- HungerStation, Jahez, and ToYou
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Mansaf (Levantine influence) or Kabsa Saudi; try at Al-Turathi
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Shobak (for pies/salads) and various Lebanese restaurants like Hummus Corner
- Best Dessert Spots
- Saadeddin Pastry (King Abdulaziz Rd) for Kunafa
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Tabuk Central Market (Souq Twaheen) for spices and local goods
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.sa and Noon.com (usually 1-2 day delivery)
- Grocery Delivery
- Nana App or Panda Click
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- No alcohol/bars allowed; social life centers around late-night Shisha cafes (e.g., Al-Kasr)
- Local Brewery
- None (Strict prohibition); try 'Barbican' non-alcoholic malt drinks
- Wine Bars
- None; luxury hotels serve high-end 'Saudi Champagne' (fruit/sparkling juice mix)
- Street Food Stalls
- Al-Qadisiyah Street for Balila, Corn-in-a-cup, and Mutabbaq
- Popular International Cuisine
- Applebee's, Texas Roadhouse, and Piatto (Italian) in Tabuk Park Mall
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Tabuk Castle (Old City) and the Hijaz Railway Station museum
- Museums & Art Venues
- Tabuk Regional Museum; admission is usually free or 10 SAR
- Historical Sites
- The Prophet's Mosque (Al-Tawba Mosque) built by Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattāb
- Religious Sites
- Al-Tawba Mosque; King Fahad Central Mosque
- Annual Events
- Tabuk Rose Festival (Spring); Saudi National Day (Sept 23rd)
- Cultural Districts
- The Old Quarter (Souq area) for traditional architecture
- Theater Venues
- Cultural Center Tabuk (occasional plays and government events)
- Local Markets
- Souq Al-Juma (Friday Market) for antiques and desert gear
- Music Scene
- Occasional live performances at Boulevard Tabuk or during festivals
- Street Art
- Murals near the Prince Fahd bin Sultan Park area
- Cooking Classes
- Usually found via local Gathern experiences or home hospitality invites
- Historic Buildings
- Ottoman Fortress (Tabuk Castle), dating back to 1559
- Local Heritage
- Sadu weaving and Bedouin hospitality culture
- Art Galleries
- Tabuk Literary Club exhibitions
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Wadi Al-Disah (80km away) - stunning sandstone canyons
- National Parks Nearby
- NEOM (The Line/Trojena sites nearby) and Prince Fahd bin Sultan Park
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- The Walking Trail at King Faisal Road (4km loop)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Jabal Al-Lawz (Mountain of Almonds), famous for winter snow
- Birdwatching Locations
- Al-Muwaileh coast (2 hours away)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Desert camping in the Al-Haql area; common for winter 'Kashta'
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Aramex, SMSA Express, and SPL (Saudi Post)
- Tech Repair Services
- Jirir Bookstore (for official warranty) or 'Mobile Souq' on Al-Ulaya St
- Table Tennis Spots
- Various local youth sports clubs and high-end hotel gyms
- Language Classes
- Wall Street English or Berlitz for Arabic/English courses
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Tabuk University Public Library
- Community Centers
- King Abdulaziz Charitable Society Cultural Center
- Gaming Lounges
- G-Zone or Glitch Gaming Center
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Forbidden in Saudi Arabia
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 4,500 SAR per m² (e.g., 45 m² = 202,500 SAR)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 3,200 SAR per m² (e.g., 45 m² = 144,000 SAR)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 4,200 SAR per m² (e.g., 70 m² = 294,000 SAR)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 3,000 SAR per m² (e.g., 70 m² = 210,000 SAR)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 4,000 SAR per m² (e.g., 100 m² = 400,000 SAR)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 2,800 SAR per m² (e.g., 100 m² = 280,000 SAR)
- Corporate Tax
- 20% (Zakat applies to GCC nationals at 2.5%)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 5%
- Tax System
- Territorial; no personal income tax for employees
- Property Tax
- White Land Tax on undeveloped urban land; no standard annual residential property tax
- Property Transaction Tax
- 5% Real Estate Transaction Tax (RETT)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- 0% personal tax; Premium Residency (SAPC) offers long term stability
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 0%
- VAT
- 15%
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- None