Riyadh: The 15-Minute Smart City
Riyadh's residential transformation extends far beyond property pricing — the city is being redesigned around smart infrastructure, transit-oriented development, and the 15-minute city concept. The Riyadh Metro (176km, 85 stations, 6 lines) carried 162 million passengers in its first operational year, exceeding projections by 40% and fundamentally reshaping urban mobility. Per JLL, properties within 500 metres of metro stations command 15-25% premiums — a proximity premium that will only increase as ridership grows.
New developments — particularly ROSHN's communities and New Murabba — are designed as 15-minute walkable cities: all daily needs (schools, clinics, parks, retail, workplaces) accessible within a 15-minute walk or cycle. New Murabba targets a 60% reduction in private vehicle dependency versus typical Riyadh neighbourhoods, through integrated metro access, smart mobility solutions, and mixed-use urban design.
Education Infrastructure
The Kingdom's education budget: SAR 201 billion (16% of government expenditure). Riyadh specifically benefits from 120 new schools under construction, King Salman University (50,000 capacity), and New Murabba's 20+ planned schools. Private international schools range SAR 50,000-120,000/year, serving the expatriate community and Saudi families seeking international curricula. Female university enrollment exceeds 60%+ of graduates, reflecting transformed participation rates that drive demand for urban housing and amenities.
Healthcare & Wellness
44 new hospitals nationally, with King Salman Medical City ($5.3 billion) anchoring Riyadh's healthcare expansion. Medical tourism: $1.6 billion (2025) growing to $8.9 billion by 2034 at 20.71% CAGR. The Global Wellness Institute reports wellness-integrated residential commands 10-18% premiums. New Murabba includes 10+ healthcare facilities with proximity to King Salman Medical City. SAR 180+ billion in annual health spending demonstrates sustained government commitment.
ROSHN & National Housing
ROSHN — PIF's residential development company — commands a 200 million sqm land bank with 85,000 units in pipeline across 6 Saudi cities. Sedra (Riyadh flagship): 20 million sqm, 30,000 homes, starting from SAR 1.6 million, with Phase 5 launched September 2025. ROSHN communities pilot smart city features including AI-assisted public safety, autonomous last-mile delivery (with Jahez), and digital building management achieving 30-40% energy reduction.
The National Housing Company (NHC) targets 400,000 units by 2030. Riyadh needs 305,000 units for population growth from 7.95 million to 9.6 million — requiring 60,000/year against current delivery of approximately 40,000/year. This persistent deficit supports long-term price appreciation. Total residential stock reached 2.18 million units by Q3 2025 per JLL, with approximately 9,468 additional units expected by year-end.
Sustainability & Green Living
Saudi Arabia has registered 1,816 LEED projects (1,162 certified) — the highest in the Middle East. Net-zero 2060 target with 58.7 GW clean energy capacity. New developments require LEED Gold+ equivalent, with features including solar integration, water recycling, district cooling, smart waste management, and AI-optimised building systems. New Murabba: 2.3 million sqm green space (12% of district area), biophilic design principles, air and water purification systems, and circadian lighting — collectively targeting LEED-ND certification.
Regulatory Environment: 2026 Reforms
Saudi Arabia's regulatory landscape underwent transformative change in early 2026. The Non-Saudi Real Estate Ownership Law (Royal Decree M/14, effective January 22, 2026) permits foreign ownership of commercial and residential property for the first time. The Capital Market Authority (CMA) abolished the Qualified Foreign Investor regime on February 1, 2026 — all foreign investors now eligible for Saudi capital markets, REITs, and tokenized assets. REGA has approved 9 real estate tokenization platforms (Ghanem, Jozo, Sahl, Madak, Nola, HissaTech, Hseel Tech, Dropp, Gamma Assets), with comprehensive regulations expected June 2026. The Saudi Depositary Receipts framework (July 2025) adds cross-listing capabilities. These reforms collectively create the most accessible investment environment in Saudi history.
Vision 2030 Strategic Context
Vision 2030's 96 strategic objectives across 13 Vision Realization Programs (VRPs) systematically generate demand across every sector covered by the Riyadh Intelligence Network. Key targets: 150 million annual tourists by 2030 (122 million achieved 2025), unemployment below 7%, female workforce participation above 30% (achieved), homeownership at 70% (from 63.7%), entertainment spending at 6% of household budgets, and GDP contribution from non-oil sectors exceeding 50%. Each target translates into measurable demand for infrastructure, services, housing, and expertise — creating multi-year investment opportunities with structural government backing. The Kingdom's construction pipeline: $819 billion across 5,200+ active projects.
Conclusion
Riyadh offers a generational opportunity powered by unprecedented government commitment ($925 billion+ PIF), structural demographic demand (70% under 35, population growing to 9.6 million by 2030), transformative regulatory reform (foreign ownership, QFI abolition), and dual mega-event catalysts (Expo 2030, FIFA 2034). The combination of $819 billion in active construction, zero personal income tax, SAR-USD peg stability, and the most comprehensive market opening in Saudi history creates an investment environment unmatched by peer cities in the Gulf, Asia, or broader emerging markets. This platform provides the intelligence infrastructure for informed professional participation.