Moving to Saudi Arabia from Dominican Republic

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Dominican Republic to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Dominican Republic to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 30.3% more expensive than Dominican Republic overall. A DOP4,375,500 salary in Dominican Republic would need to be roughly SAR342,355 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 Dominican Republic and Saudi Arabia.

What does your salary buy?

DOP4,375,500 SAR342,355

To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 17.2% less

Groceries

pay 14.5% more

Transportation

pay 13.9% less

Housing

pay 54.6% more

Childcare

pay 48.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.2 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DOP = 0.0647 SAR (June 2026)

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 Dominican Republic.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DO
12.4
SA
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DO
27.4
SA
18.5

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Dominican Republic across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

DO
$1,169
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

DO
22.3
SA
30.8

Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DO
27.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DO
3.0t
SA
18.5t

Dominican Republic performs better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

DO
10.7
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DO
39.5%
SA
974.2%

Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Dominican Republic leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DO
5.6%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DO
$23,100
SA
$49,600

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Dominican Republic across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

DO
72.6 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DO
21.2
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Dominican Republic across all family life metrics.

Data: Direccion General de Impuestos Internos, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Santo Domingo Rain: 57.0 in/yr (1447 mm)
87° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santo Domingo Riyadh
Jan–Mar 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 87°/72°F (30°/22°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/73°F (31°/23°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/71°F (30°/21°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Santo Domingo Riyadh
Jan 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Dominican Republic 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.

Dominican Republic passport

Dominican Republic passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

Visa Required
Dominican Republic passport holders need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Dominican Republic

Visa Required
Saudi Arabia passport holders need a visa to enter Dominican Republic.

Data: 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 Dominican Republic?

On average Saudi Arabia is around 21% pricier than Dominican Republic, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?

Budget about SAR85,589 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a DOP4,375,500 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?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Dominican Republic across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 12.4 in Dominican Republic.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Dominican Republic?

Dominican Republic 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 22.3 in Dominican Republic. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Dominican Republic: 77).

What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Dominican Republic?

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 87°F in Santo Domingo. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Santo Domingo gets 57.0 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Dominican Republic, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

DO SA
Population 10,694,700 35,354,380
Currency Dominican Peso (DOP) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages Spanish Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911