Moving to Saudi Arabia from California
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from California to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from California to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 40.9% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly SAR159,907 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 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from California to Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → SAR159,907
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 67.3% less
Groceries
pay 44.5% less
Transportation
pay 31.0% less
Housing
pay 49.6% less
Childcare
pay 78.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.4% less
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 48% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from California to Saudi Arabia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
California 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 California across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
California generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than Saudi Arabia 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 | Sacramento | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°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 California?
Yes — Saudi Arabia is on average about 42% cheaper than California. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SAR39,977 in Saudi Arabia on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
Usually fine from major cities in Saudi Arabia. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to California?
California performs better than Saudi Arabia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to California?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In California, the official language is English.
