NEOM Real Estate — Can Foreigners Invest?

NEOM is Saudi Arabia's $500 billion mega-city project. Here's what foreign investors need to know about buying property or investing in NEOM.

What Is NEOM?

NEOM is a $500 billion planned city and economic zone in northwest Saudi Arabia, announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017. It encompasses multiple sub-projects:

Project	Type	Status
The Line	Linear city, 170km	Under construction (scaled back from original plans)
Sindalah	Luxury yacht island	Under construction
Aqaba	Mountain resort	Under development
Oxagon	Industrial floating city	Under development
Sharma	Airport and aviation hub	Under development

Foreign Investment in NEOM

NEOM operates under its own regulatory framework approved by royal decree — separate from standard Saudi law in many respects. This is designed to attract international investment and talent.

What we know:

NEOM has explicitly stated that foreign ownership of residential property will be permitted
Ownership rules are expected to be more liberal than standard Saudi property law
The regulatory framework will be similar to special economic zone ownership models seen in Dubai (DIFC) and Singapore

What we don’t know yet:

Specific purchase mechanisms and pricing for residential units
Timeline for public sales (currently no open market)
Final regulatory details of the ownership framework

Current Reality: No Open Market Yet

As of January 2025, NEOM does not have a public residential property market. The focus remains on infrastructure construction. Most residential units currently in NEOM are temporary worker accommodation.

When property does come to market, we expect:

High-end initial releases targeted at international investors
Sindalah likely to be the first with luxury villa/yacht berth packages
Significant marketing to Gulf, European, and Asian investors

How to Stay Informed

NEOM publishes updates at neom.com. This page will be updated when property sales open.

Subscribe to our newsletter — we’ll notify you when NEOM investment opportunities become available.

Tabuk city guide → · Red Sea Project → · Full law breakdown →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can foreigners buy property in NEOM? +

NEOM is still under construction. The project has announced that it will have a special regulatory framework distinct from standard Saudi property law. Foreign ownership within NEOM is expected to be open and actively encouraged as part of its investor attraction strategy. No residential units are currently on sale to the general public.

Is there a way to invest in NEOM now? +

Direct property purchase in NEOM is not yet available. Indirect exposure is possible through Saudi REITs and construction/engineering companies involved in NEOM's development listed on the Tadawul. Watch for future public property sales, which NEOM has indicated will come.

Where is NEOM located? +

NEOM is located in the Tabuk Region in northwest Saudi Arabia, near the borders with Jordan and Egypt, on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba coastline.

What is The Line? +

The Line is NEOM's flagship project — a 170km long linear city planned to house 9 million people in a zero-carbon, car-free urban environment. It is the most ambitious element of the NEOM masterplan and has faced significant scaling back from original projections.

Stay ahead of the law

Get notified when the law changes

We monitor REGA announcements so you don't have to. No spam — only real updates.

Join the community discussion → Ask questions, share experiences, and connect with other investors in our Telegram group or browse r/saudiarabia.