_The grass is greener for internal migrants

The Riyadh magnet

The capital city, Riyadh, has been one of the major centres of attraction for those looking to climb the career ladder, with Survey 1 highlighting jobs as the key driver for Saudi nationals relocating to Riyadh. This trend is also present in other major cities, like Jeddah, the commercial capital of the western region and Saudi’s second city.

In Survey 1, we investigated the impact of domestic migration on property choices to understand how developers and investors might respond to this apparent opportunity. Among our Riyadh respondents, just over half (53%) were born in the capital and consider it their home. In Dammam, this figure rises to 58%, while in Jeddah, almost two-thirds of respondents were born and raised in the city. The disparity in the figures for the first time has allowed us to quantify the potential volume of internal Saudi migrants in Riyadh, which has significant implications for developers and planners.

The most common reason to temporarily migrate to a different city ‘work’ or ‘career’ linked. Those who migrate temporarily prefer living in smaller units (74%). Additionally, most (62%) are tenants, presumably due to the flexibility offered through renting and plans to buy a house in their hometown instead, both of which were key takeaways in our 2022 Saudi Report.

A home from home… for now

Despite the high levels of internal migration, a significant proportion of respondents appear to be uncommitted to establishing a permanent base away from their home cities. Indeed, 68% perceive themselves as temporary residents, indicating they will move ‘back home’ should the right job present itself.

Discover the full Saudi Report 2023.