How you can buy property in Makkah

Everyone's heard about the foreign ownership policy that was announced back in 2025. But how many people actually understand the opportunity at play?

That's why we've taken the initiative to drive the conversation on Makkah's real estate landscape.

Let's start with the foreign ownership policy. Whilst the policy is live, and has been as of January 2026, it only became actionable as of this week (June 2026) with the announcement of Makkah's geographic zones.

What this means is that foreigners will not be in a position to have blanket reach across the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.

Instead, any real estate investment will need to be made in specific zones mandated by the Kingdom's Real Estate authority (REGA).

This is one of the major cautions that any investor or future home buyer needs to keep in mind.

Whilst there is regular marketing of small-scale projects across Makkah (and perhaps more noticeably Madinah), it's worth treading with caution on any such project given the policy climate.

Any property purchased without prior confirmation of the area being included in the geographic zones opens up the risk of not being able to re-sell the property, let alone even going through with the purchase in the first place.

We recognise there are alternative routes often promoted by small-scale developers.

The first is that of premium residency. Similar to Dubai's Golden Visa, KSA has introduced a premium residency route which can be obtained through a number of channels.

One of these channels is purchasing a property valued above SAR 4 million (or approximately £800,000).

Our engagement with real estate brokers on the ground reveals that the average entry price into Makkah ranges anywhere from £250,000 for villas in Roshn Al Manar to £400,000 for apartments in the likes of Masar.

And so, whilst a valid route, it is only available to investors seeking to purchase units significantly above the market entry price.

The second route is purchasing property through a Saudi-based company. Doing so means the property is held under the name of the company, as opposed to the individual.

It's worth noting that both of these routes are highly uncommon and pose their own risks respectively.

The new foreign ownership legislation introduced is a third channel that creates a mechanism to purchase in clearly designated areas, avoiding ambiguity for long-term investment plays.

Given this week's announcement on the geographic zones, this third route is likely to become the primary route for property purchases in Makkah.

Whilst seven major zones have been announced in the permissible areas for foreign ownership, the recent deals being signed in the market suggest that this will evolve over time.

Whether that be new developments such as Masar Gardens or additional plots opening up for development.

For a closer look at the developments already taking shape on the ground, see Makkah's major real estate projects in the market today.