Guide
About Riyadh
Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's capital and its most populous city, with close to seven million residents in the 2022 census. It is where ministries, regulators and many corporate head offices are based, and that concentration of decision-makers draws consultancies, law firms, banks, technology companies and contractors from across the Kingdom and abroad.
Because the public sector is the city's largest employer, a great deal of private business revolves around government projects and the people who work on them. At the same time, the sheer size of the population supports a very large retail, food, healthcare, education and household-services market spread across dozens of districts.
Economy and main industries
Government administration sits at the centre of Riyadh's economy, and much private activity follows from it: construction and engineering firms working on public projects, IT and consulting companies serving ministries, and the hotels, caterers and event organisers that support official business. Finance has its own hub at KAFD, which was planned to compete with other Gulf financial centres for banking and investment business.
Manufacturing is concentrated in the MODON industrial cities. Riyadh's first industrial city opened in 1973, and the city now has a second and third, where factories, warehouses and distribution centres serve the capital and central Saudi Arabia.
Main business areas and markets
- Al Olaya: Riyadh's central business district, extending mostly across the Al-Ulaya sub-municipality and partly into Al-Malaz and Al-Ma'dher; office towers, banks, consultancies and established companies
- King Abdullah Financial District: a planned, walkable financial district set apart from the older commercial core, with banks, investment firms and corporate offices
- Al Batha: the traditional downtown commercial district, with dense street-level retail and a market area popular with visitors
- Al Malaz: an older central district partly overlapping the Olaya municipal area, with shops, hotels and services
- Riyadh industrial cities: MODON's first, second and third industrial cities, home to factories, workshops and logistics operations
Setting up a business in Riyadh
Most company formalities can be handled in the capital. Companies obtain a Commercial Registration from the Ministry of Commerce and then apply through the Balady platform for the municipal licence that premises need. Industrial investors deal with MODON for land and permits in the industrial cities. The Riyadh Chamber issues certificates of origin, attests documents and runs sector committees and business events, and most companies registered in the city join it.
Office location matters in Riyadh. Firms that deal with ministries and large corporates often choose Olaya or KAFD, while retailers and wholesalers serving the mass market cluster in Al Batha and the older central districts, and logistics firms favour the industrial cities on the city's edges.
Finding businesses in Riyadh
People search Riyadh for lawyers, accountants and business setup consultants, IT and telecom companies, contractors and maintenance firms, office furniture, recruitment agencies, clinics and schools. Visitors look for hotels and car rental near Olaya and KAFD. SaudiYP lists Riyadh businesses by category and district.
Frequently asked questions
What is the area code for Riyadh?
Riyadh's landline code is 011. Numbers are dialled as 011 followed by the seven-digit local number.
Where is the main business district in Riyadh?
Al Olaya is the central business district, with King Abdullah Financial District as the dedicated financial centre. Al Batha is the traditional downtown retail area.
Where are Riyadh's industrial areas?
MODON runs the Riyadh first, second and third industrial cities, which host factories, warehouses and workshops.
Which chamber of commerce is in Riyadh?
The Riyadh Chamber serves businesses in the capital and is a member of the Federation of Saudi Chambers, which is also headquartered in Riyadh.