Moving to Saudi Arabia from Brazil
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brazil to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brazil to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 49.2% more expensive than Brazil overall. A R$379,035 salary in Brazil would need to be roughly SAR415,282 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 80°F in Brasilia, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
R$379,035 → SAR415,282
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.8% less
Groceries
pay 26.1% more
Transportation
pay 18.2% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 10.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.7 times 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to Brazil.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Brazil generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Brazil performs better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Brazil leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Brazil across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Brazil across all family life metrics.
Data: Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brasilia | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/58°F (27°/14°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/64°F (27°/17°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brasilia | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brazil 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.
Brazil passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Brazil
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 Brazil?
On average Saudi Arabia is around 47% pricier than Brazil, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR103,820 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a R$379,035 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Saudi Arabia: 37.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Saudi Arabia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?
Brazil generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.6 in Brazil.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Brazil?
Brazil generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 21.4 in Brazil. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brazil: 80).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Brazil?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 80°F in Brasilia. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Brasilia gets 61.1 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Brazil, the official language is Portuguese.
