How To Make Friends As A New Expat in Saudi Arabia

Moving to a Saudi Arabia an an expat is exciting, but it can be incredibly lonely if you don’t know anyone or have any friends.

As someone who has moved abroad twice (to the UAE and now Saudi Arabia), I’ve managed to create friendships in both places although it wasn’t easy.

I want to share exactly what I did (and still doing) to make my life abroad feel less lonely and more fun. Here is my guide on making friends as an expat in Riyadh.

Say hi to your neighbors

It sounds old school, but this is the easiest place to start because these are the people who live next to you.

If you live in a compound in Riyadh, this gets even easier as most compound residents are expats themselves.

Don’t be shy and just drop by for a quick hello to introduce yourself.

If you are living outside of a compound like me, dropping by for a quick hello might not be the norm, especially for women.

For local women, meetings usually need to be scheduled unless you’re super close with someone. 

So maybe let your husband get to know the neighbor (usually the man of the family) first, let them hangout and wait for an invitation. 

Or, you could be the proactive one and extend an invitation first. 

Social cultural norms in Saudi Arabia

There are some cultural norms to watch out for especially if you’re new expats in Saudi Arabia. 

Home invitations or gatherings are usually gender-segregated.

If you’re inviting local Saudi women to your house (or any Muslim Arab women), the men are expected to be outside of the house during the gathering.

Men and women who are not related usually don’t mix in private social settings here.

I list more social rules in my 10 Things You Must Know Before Moving guide

Find people from your home country

This is actually the easiest hack in making new friends.

You may be thinking “I moved abroad to experience new cultures, why would I find somebody from my home country”

Trust me, this will not be diluting your cultural experience abroad. 

Connecting with people who have experiences living in your new place and understand where you are coming from, can be a huge comfort.

The best way to find them is via Facebook Groups or following any social media accounts of expats from your home country and just drop a friendly DM.

Almost every nationality has a specific group, like “Brits in Riyadh” or “American in Saudi”.

You can join the group, introduce yourself, and see if anyone is up for a coffee. Need a coffee spot? Check my list of the best coffee shops in Riyadh for socializing.

Be open to “friends of friends”

This is so underrated but if we’re all introducing our friend to our other friend, our circles will get bigger.

If you know one person, you eventually know ten!

It may seem awkward at first, but for me, this is one of the best ways to get to know someone because you already have something in common: your mutual friend.

When you get invited to a casual hangout, go! Even if you only know the host, it is the perfect opportunity to branch out.

Don’t be shy to ask your current friend to introduce you to their other friends.

Most expats in Saudi Arabia understand exactly what it feels like to be new and looking for connection.

Host a small gathering at home

You don’t always have to wait for an invitation. In fact, don’t wait, because most people seem to be the ones waiting.

It’s very rare for people to be on the “making the first move” side

As someone who has been on both sides, and having learned how beneficial it is to make the first move, I no longer wait!

And guess what? My life feels less lonely when I stop waiting.

Sometimes, you just have to be the one to make it happen.

If you have met a few people, invite them over for a simple tea party, a game night, or a potluck dinner.

I love hosting ladies’ gatherings at my place. It is such a game changer. 

I have no one else to thank except my Shami (Levant) friends in Abu Dhabi for introducing me to this culture of ladies gathering when I was living there.

Now that I moved to Riyadh, I try to keep the tradition alive.

It is intimate, private, and much quieter than meeting at a loud restaurant.

It lets people relax and really get to know each other, and I find it easier to connect on a deeper level in this setting.

Go to any public events

Riyadh is full of events these days.

From art galleries at JAX District to workshops and coffee mornings. Go to these events, even if you have to go alone.

And here is the hard part: You have to say hi first. I know it is scary. But if you see someone standing alone, they are probably feeling just as awkward as you are.

A simple smile makes you look approachable. Just walk over and ask, “Is this your first time here?” You will be surprised how relieved people are when someone else starts the conversation.

Join WhatsApp groups

If there is one thing you need to survive social life in Riyadh, aside from the other essential apps for expats, it is the WhatsApp group.

Everything happens here. There are groups for everything: hiking, book clubs, moms, coffee lovers, and yoga.

I admit, these groups can be huge and sometimes a bit overwhelming with all the notifications. But do not mute them forever.

This is where people plan meetups and share what is happening in the city. It is the best place to start putting yourself in a community.

Be open with your social media

This might sound strange, but if I had kept myself hidden online, I would never have met some of the friends I have today.

People cannot meet you if they don’t know you exist. If your social media account is totally locked down or empty, it is harder for people to connect with you.

Share a little bit of your life abroad. Post about the coffee shop you visited or the market you went to (while being careful about sharing your location live)

You have to let people “in” somehow. This helps potential friends find you and see that you share common interests.

And this is also a great way to meet someone who shares your values and mindset.

My final thoughts

If I’m going to be totally honest with you, living abroad is challenging and it can get very lonely.

Back home, I never had to be the proactive one, because my friends would always invite me over to spend time together.

But when you move abroad and start life from scratch, you will notice that you have to be the one to extend invitations and make the first move.

Building a new circle from scratch is not easy as it takes energy, and sometimes it can be scary too.

But trust me, every small effort counts. Even if you just make one good friend, it will change your entire experience as an expat.

So, get out of your comfort zone today. It is much better than cooping up at home!