Jeddah Security

Schools, government buildings, and residential compounds in Saud Arabia all have high security measures in place.  Many appear to be fortresses, with 24 hour armed guards, barriers and gates, tall surrounding cement walls topped with barbed wire coils, visitor IDs required, and camera surveillance. 

Pretty Compound Pool Area in Jeddah

There are many compounds in Jeddah where expats workers are housed. Many of them have a resort feel to them. This is a pool area inside one of Jeddah's compounds.  

SkyWatch: Jeddah Compound Pool Area

This is the pool area of one of the many residential expat compounds for foreign workers living in Jeddah.  Women are not required to wear abayas inside the compound walls, and most of these residential compounds do not allow Saudi nationals to live there.


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Jeddah Compound Living

Inside a residential compound of Jeddah, space is at a premium, so many units are attached to others instead of being separate villas.

Our World: Saudi Arabia Residential Compound Entrance

Larger residential compounds for expat workers in Saudi Arabia generally offer high level security for its residents.  This is an obstacle course entrance typical of many compounds which leads to a guard gate.  The high walls surrounding the entire complex are all topped with spiraled barbed wire.  Once inside the compound, it appears much like typical communities in the west, where women can walk around in normal street clothes without the abaya.





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Compound Common Area

Many residential expat compounds in Jeddah have a definite resort feel to them.  Common areas often include pools, tennis courts, restaurants, shopping areas, and playgrounds. Compound living offers more familiarity and comfort for western expats, however to live within the walls of compounds usually comes with a heftier price tag than living outside the compound. 

Resort Like Living - in the Compound

One of the draws for many workers from other countries is the lifestyle offered here in Saudi Arabia. Many expats live in compounds, which are walled-in communities where life is quite different from outside its wall.  Women do not have to wear the abaya inside the compound walls and in some compounds, women can even drive.  

Many compounds have resort-like swimming pool areas, exercise classes, tennis courts, bowling alleys, golf courses, restaurants, beauty salons, theaters, and grocery stores. They also offer easier access to transportation and a variety of events to keep residents as busy as they want to be.  

SkyWatch: Compound Pool

Many of the residential compounds in Saudi Arabia for expat workers from foreign countries afford a resort living lifestyle for its residents.  Female residents can wear whatever they wish inside the walls of the compound and can even drive vehicles in some.

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SkyWatch: Inside a Compound

Inside the walls of Jeddah's residential compounds where working expats live, it usually doesn't look like the rest of the city at all - with lush tropical vegetation of palm trees and bougainvillea and other flowers.  Compounds are walled in with security guards on duty 24 hours a day.  Many also have barbed wire on top of the high walls and an obstacle course roadway one must drive through to enter the compound. 


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Jeddah: Compound Common Area

Another shot of a lovely pool area inside an expat compound in Jeddah.

Jeddah: Compound Pool Area

Many residential compounds in Jeddah are exclusive for foreign workers and do not allow Saudis to live there or even visit.  One reason is that inside the compound walls, women do not have to wear the black cloak or cover their hair.  Women can wear bathing suits when swimming or sunbathing at the beautiful pool areas inside the compounds.  Even at Saudi resorts that accommodate Saudi guests, many do not permit women to swim at all, unless there is a separate private pool provided just for women. 

Compound Residence

This is what the housing looks like in one of the residential compounds for foreign workers in Jeddah.  With the bougainvillaea, terra cotta color and the blue tiles around the windows, I am reminded of Mexican or Spanish housing.

Twin Villas

Seeing identical villas side by side like this is not unusual here in Jeddah.  Many times a large parcel of land will be purchased to accommodate several branches of one family within its compound walls. 

Resort Style Living

This is another shot of the community pool area of one of the residential living compounds for foreign workers in Jeddah. 

Compound Pool Area

SkyWatch: Jeddah Compound Grounds

Gated communites, or compounds as they are called here in Jeddah, are very popular living choices for expat workers. Women can drive within larger compounds and they don't have to wear the abaya (black cloak) when they are within the compound grounds. Life can feel more "normal" for the compound's foreign residents because of these capabilities.





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SkyWatch: Jeddah Compound Living

Many expats who come to Saudi Arabia to work prefer to live in gated and guarded communities called compounds.  Many compounds offer recreational facilities and activities, shops, and restaurants within their walls.  In Jeddah, there is a shortage for this type of housing and most compounds have very long waiting lists to get in. Because of all the extra amenities they offer, this housing comes at a premium cost.  Many expats negotiate to have housing included in their work contracts. 

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