Below you'll find a very subjective list of essential apps to make life easier as an expat in the capital of Saudi Arabia.
After a year and a half of having lived in Saudi Arabia, and a lot of trial and error I was finally able to compile a list of essential apps and websites I use daily to make life easier. I also realised how much more reliant I became on apps as it seems to me that Saudis are ahead in their digitisation and are more savvy when it comes to harnessing the convenience of having an app for everything than the UK.
You can contact any business via WhatsApp and usually get a response within 5 minutes. It's definitely preferable to calling the companies phone lines and having to get through the dreaded AI gatekeepers only then to be stuck with elevator music for a minimum of half an hour before a representative picks up (if you're not disconnected first, that is!).
All administrative matters regarding residency and work permits go through online via Absher. It's a system that works surprisingly well too!
#1 - Healthcare
Probably the most important app we downloaded after registering with a hospital. The SAH branches are particularly popular with expats and locals alike, but most other hospitals will also have their own dedicated apps in place. In comparison to the UK, hospitals and surgeries here are lightyears ahead when it comes to comprehensive healthcare apps and online booking systems. They don't only have personal info, medical history and online booking available, but checking in and payments are also easily made without having to wait at the counter.
Additionally, when you're new to the country and don't have a preferred doctor yet, it's also a lot easier to select the nearest branch and pick a random practitioner based on their speciality, experience and even nationality.
One can only hope the information is securely stored!
#2 - Payments and Loyalty Cards
This is pretty self explanatory - the convenience of Apple Pay and Google Wallet is undeniable. As expats, we have multiple cards in different countries and currencies so it's a great way to keep track of all of them and be able to easily pick whichever we want to use. There's also a few loyalty schemes that can be integrated into these, although most have their own dedicated apps.
Pretty much every company have their own reward schemes which can be difficult to keep track of. I have narrowed it down to three large rewards schemes that I'm a part of - Aura, Blue Rewards and Majid Al Futtaim. They offer discounts across my preferred stores but also have offers to different restaurants and cafes.
#3 - Online Shopping and Food Delivery
I don't do as much online shopping in Saudi Arabia as I did back home, mainly because of the unreliability of delivery companies and the hassle of getting things shipped from abroad unless paying an arm and a leg in shipping and potentially customs costs. Amazon is not nearly as convenient or fast so it ended up being relegated it to total obscurity. It's the same with grocery deliveries - having a large supermarket at our doorstep trumps deliveries for me. That said, I still occasionally use Tamimi and Carrefour.
For hard to find organic/eco-friendly household essentials and supplements I love the US based iHerb. I never had problems with delivery, my items always arrived relatively fast. Mumzworld is another handy app which delivers across the Gulf. While it's primarily known for childcare and family-focused products (baby gear, toys, children's clothing), they have a decent range of the above mentioned products as well and their deliveries have actually improved greatly over the last few times I used them. A neat little bonus is that there's always sales and discount codes available so I've yet to pay full price on an order.
We don't often get takeaway, mainly because we're trying to stick to eating as healthy as possible. Also, delivery drivers aren't allowed inside our compound so someone (usually Husband) has to go to the main gate to pick up the food. Due to traffic, delivery times also vary greatly and we've had some unpleasant experiences with soggy burgers and cold pizza. Besides, we have some decent options right here or we opt to eat out instead. However, during the week, Husband loves the convenience of Jahez and Hunger Station to deliver his lunch. We tried the Chefz app but weren't impressed with the functionality and the quality of restaurants.
#4 - Transport
Disclaimer - I do not actually use any transport apps at the moment because I'm lucky enough to have a few drivers on speed dial who I feel safer with than in an Uber and who are, in my experience, more reliable and have generally better maintained cars.
However, as an expat, if driving is intimidating and you have no access to a private driver/don't live on a compound that has a registry of approved drivers, Uber is a must have. There are local companies such as Kaiian and Wsslini, which is specifically geared towards women with an all female fleet of drivers.
#5 - Entertainment
Riyadh has plenty of music, cultural, sporting, experience-based and kid friendly events going on every day especially during Riyadh Season. While a lot of these are free, almost all venues will still require advance booking. The most popular ticketing apps are TicketMX and Webook.com.
Follow for more tips and information on living in Riyadh on Instagram @theexpatadventures.
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