| Quick summary | | | | |
| Preferred city for incorporation of the company? | Dammam | Jeddah | Riyadh | Medina |
| Most popular business sector? | Oil & Gas | Manufacturing of textile | Manufacturing and finance | General retail |
| Specific attractive Government incentives available? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Oil fields available in this region? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CBD monthly office rental per sq m? | US$22 | US$26 | US$28 | US$22 |
| Average skilled labour monthly salary? | US$2,500 | US$2,500 | US$2,500 | US$2,500 |
| Average unskilled labour monthly salary? | US$900 | US$900 | US$900 | US$900 |
| Minimum monthly wage for local employees? | US$800 | US$800 | US$800 | US$800 |
| English spoken by what % of population? | 10% | 25% | 35% | 20% |
| Computer literacy rate? (% of population) | 50% | 65% | 65% | 60% |
| Literacy rate? (% of population) | 87% | 94% | 94% | 90% |
| Proximity of sea port to the main city? | 19km | 24km | 394km | 152km |
| Proximity of airport in kilometres to the main city? | 35km | 45km | 28km | 15km |
| Local Municipality business location licensing body | Eastern Province Municipality | Holy Makkah Municipality | Al Riyadh Municipality | Al Madinah Regional Municipality |
| Logistical considerations | | | | |
| Attractive Region for oil and gas business? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Attractive Region for foreign investment? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Attractive Region for an export-oriented business? | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| CBD monthly office rental per sq m? | US$33 | US$22 | US$31 | US$25 |
| Average monthly electricity prices? (per Kwh) | US$0.042 | US$0.042 | US$0.042 | US$0.042 |
| City airport with flights to Europe and America? | No | Yes | No | No |
| Proximity of rail in kilometres to the main city? | 18km | 5km | 6km | 2km |
| Quality of internet broadband and Wi-Fi? | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| Total population? (in millions) | 5 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 2.1 |
| Local purchasing power (GDP per capita)? | US$55,940 | US$31,273 | US$32,372 | US$24,000 |
| Business output market size? (in US$ billions) | 388 | 135 | 137 | 83 |
| Market size relative to the economy? | 60% | 21% | 21% | 13% |
| Corporate Banking and Finance considerations | | | | |
| Is the main city an industrial hub? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Is the main city an oil industry hub? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| How many global banks are based in the region? | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
| How many KSA banks with local branches? | 11 | 4 | 23 | 19 |
| Recommended bank for corporate banking? | SABB | Samba | QNB | Bank Al Jazira |
| Client must travel for account opening? | No | No | No | No |
| Quality of bank customer services? | Good | Good | Very Good | Good |
| Quality of online banking services? | Good | Good | Excellent | Good |
| English e-banking platform available? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Does the Region have a reputable financial district? | No | No | Yes | No |
| Does the Region have a local Stock Exchange? | No | No | Yes | No |
| Are there Private Equity Funds/VCs in the Region? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expatriate employment considerations | | | | |
| Average skilled labour monthly salary? | US$2,500 | US$2,500 | US$2,500 | US$2,500 |
| Average unskilled labour monthly salary? | US$900 | US$900 | US$900 | US$900 |
| Minimum monthly wage for local employees? | US$800 | US$800 | US$800 | US$800 |
| Is there a large expatriate community in the main city? | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| What seasons/month should travel to this region be avoided? | July-August | July-August | June-August | July-Sep |
| International schools for children of expatriate employees? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Will I find European F&B products in the supermarkets? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mercer Survey Ranking for global cities? | Not ranked | 165 | 164 | Not ranked |
| Is the main city of the Region safe for expatriates? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| How many hospitals and health centres in this region? | 46 | 31 | 33 | 20 |
| Accounting and tax considerations | | | | |
| Monthly and quarterly tax filing required? | No | No | No | No |
| Business incentives offered by the national government? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
