Saudi Mini-Cities and Smart Homes Reshape Living

Saudi Arabia is rolling out a new generation of "mini-city" residential projects that combine smart apartments with retail, offices, schools, healthcare and leisure inside a single master-planned community, part of the urban transformation goals under رؤية السعودية 2030.

A leading example is Banan City near الرياض, planned to house around 120,000 residents in smart homes fitted with AI-powered systems, smart meters, renewable energy integration and advanced security, marketed as a self-contained mini-city. Larger high-tech units, such as smart residential units in نيوم, currently start from about SAR 1,200,000 depending on the sub-project and finish.

In existing mini-city–style developments along the البحر الأحمر coast and around Jeddah, mid-to-premium smart-ready apartments typically range from roughly SAR 1,300,000 to SAR 5,000,000, while villas and chalets in نيوم sub-projects such as Sindalah and Trojena Residences reach significantly higher brackets.

What buyers can expect in 2026

Across the Kingdom, new-build urban apartments in smart or semi-smart complexes generally fall into clear ranges: a studio smart apartment costs roughly SAR 200,000–500,000, a one-bedroom SAR 300,000–800,000, a two-bedroom SAR 400,000–1,200,000, and a three-bedroom in premium towers commonly SAR 800,000 to over SAR 1,500,000.

By city, a 100-square-metre urban apartment averages around SAR 850,000 in الرياض, SAR 780,000 in جدة, SAR 690,000 in الدمام and SAR 720,000 in Al Khobar. Price 390 in الرياض, SAR 4,400–4,600 median in جدة, and about SAR 3,667 in الدمام, with coastal districts in جدة reaching SAR 7,500–16,000 for high-spec homes.

For residents and expats weighing where to settle, the shift matters: mini-cities aim to place daily needs within walking distance while offering connected, energy-efficient homes, giving buyers and renters more options across a widening price range.

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