MULKIYA · GUIDES
New Murabba: Who Can Buy in Riyadh's New Downtown?
New Murabba is a designated zone in Riyadh open to foreign buyers under the 2026 ownership law. Who may own there, on what terms, and how to verify a parcel.
What and where New Murabba is
New Murabba (المربع الجديد) is one of Riyadh's designated zones: a planned new downtown district in the city's northwest, still under development. Like Riyadh's other zones, it is a mega-project rather than an established residential district. Its status as a zone comes from Council of Ministers Decision 43 of 23-06-2026, which endorsed the designated zones document under Royal Decree M/14, the non-Saudi ownership law in force since 22-01-2026. The name in circulation is press-derived; the official register is the truth.
Who may own here
Four buyer classes may own in New Murabba, and one class is conditional. A non-resident foreign individual may own once three prerequisites are in place: a digital identity approved by the Ministry of Interior, obtained through a Saudi embassy and activated with Absher or Nafath, a Saudi bank account in the buyer's name, and a Saudi mobile number linked to that identity. A resident holding an iqama may own with a valid iqama and a digital identity activated with Absher. A GCC national buys under the GCC ownership statute, which continues alongside the new law. A Premium Residency holder owns under their own track. In every case, registration in the official real-estate registry is a validity condition of the purchase.
The conditional class: foreign companies
A foreign company may own in New Murabba only after registering with the Ministry of Investment through the Invest Saudi platform and obtaining a unified number. It must disclose its owners, appoint a representative who holds a Saudi ID, hold a Saudi corporate bank account, and notify the ministry when ownership in the company changes hands above the set threshold. Because New Murabba sits in Riyadh, not in a holy city, the Muslim-buyers-only rule does not apply here. That rule belongs to the designated zones of Makkah and Madinah.
Verify the parcel before you price it
Zone names in circulation come from press coverage, and boundaries can cut through a single district. A developer's brochure is not proof of status. The authoritative check is the official register on the REGA Saudi Properties portal, which confirms parcel by parcel whether a plot falls inside the zone. Check the exact unit's plot before you sign anything or transfer a deposit. More than 100 designated zones exist kingdom-wide, and each is confirmed the same way.
Costs, and a cooling market
At purchase, the 5% real-estate transaction tax applies, legally the seller's liability and commonly priced into the deal. Brokerage is capped at 2.5% plus VAT on the commission, payable only if a broker is engaged. On exit, a 2% disposal fee applies, because Riyadh is one of the four cities where it is levied, alongside Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah. The wider tape argues for patience. The official residential price index recorded -3.6% year on year for Q1 2026, gross rental yields sit in a band of roughly 7-9% per licensed yield data, and rents inside Riyadh's urban boundary are frozen for five years by royal order of 25-09-2025. Verify the parcel and the price; the zone label guarantees neither.
The honest next step
Mulkiya is not the seller and not the broker, and it takes no commission or success fee. The honest first step is the eligibility check: seven questions about your status and your target property, answered by a deterministic rules engine against Royal Decree M/14 and Decision 43. If the answer is yes, licensed Saudi partners execute the regulated steps.
Can a foreigner buy in New Murabba without Saudi residency?
Yes. A non-resident foreign individual may own inside the zone once three prerequisites are in place: a digital identity approved by the Ministry of Interior, a Saudi bank account and a Saudi mobile number. Residency is not required inside a designated zone.
Can a foreign company buy in New Murabba?
Yes, conditionally. The company must register with the Ministry of Investment through Invest Saudi, obtain a unified number, disclose its owners and appoint a representative who holds a Saudi ID. Without that registration, the zone is closed to it.
Does the Muslim-buyers-only rule apply to New Murabba?
No. That rule covers the designated zones of Makkah and Madinah. New Murabba is a Riyadh zone: individuals may own whatever their religion, and foreign companies may own once the investment-ministry conditions are met.
What does it cost to buy and sell in New Murabba?
At purchase, 5% transaction tax, legally the seller's liability, plus brokerage of up to 2.5% if a broker is engaged. On exit, the 5% tax applies again plus a 2% disposal fee, because Riyadh is one of the four cities where the fee is levied.
How do I confirm a specific unit sits inside the zone?
Check the exact plot on the official register, the REGA Saudi Properties portal. Zone names in circulation are press-derived and marketing material is not proof. Confirm before you sign or pay a deposit.