Moving to Saudi Arabia from Arizona
What to Expect
Considering a move from Arizona to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Arizona to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 28.7% cheaper than Arizona. A $75,000 salary in Arizona would need to be roughly SAR195,296 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Arizona and Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → SAR195,296
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 64.4% less
Groceries
pay 30.7% less
Transportation
pay 15.7% less
Housing
pay 50.2% less
Childcare
pay 62.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.8% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Saudi Arabia cost about 32% less than cities in Arizona.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to Arizona.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Arizona performs better than Saudi Arabia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Arizona across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Arizona performs better than Saudi Arabia across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Arizona across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Phoenix | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Phoenix | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States and Saudi Arabia. To live, work, or study long-term in Saudi Arabia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Saudi Arabia's immigration authority.
United States passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Saudi Arabia than Arizona?
On average Saudi Arabia is about 30% less expensive than Arizona, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR48,824 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
From major Saudi Arabia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Arizona and Saudi Arabia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Arizona?
Arizona performs better than Saudi Arabia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Arizona?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 87°F in Phoenix. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Phoenix gets 8.2 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Arizona, the official language is English.
