Moving to Saudi Arabia from Gambia

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Gambia to Saudi Arabia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Gambia to Saudi Arabia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Gambia and Saudi Arabia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GM
22.0
SA
18.5

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GM
$94
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GM
1.0
SA
30.8

Gambia 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

GM
90.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GM
0.2t
SA
18.5t

Gambia 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

GM
0.2
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GM
2.2%
SA
974.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

GM
6.5%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

GM
$2,900
SA
$49,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GM
67.6 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GM
37.2
SA
12.3

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

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Banjul Rain: 32.3 in/yr (821 mm)
90° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Banjul Riyadh
Jan–Mar 91°/65°F (33°/19°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 92°/71°F (33°/22°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Banjul Riyadh
Jan 90°/64°F (32.4°/17.9°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 92°/65°F (33.2°/18.3°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.6°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 89°/68°F (31.8°/19.9°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.0°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 90°/72°F (32.4°/22.4°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 89°/74°F (31.8°/23.2°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.4°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 92°/75°F (33.5°/23.9°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 93°/71°F (34.0°/21.6°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.7°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Department of Water Resources Department of Water Resources, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Gambia 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.

Gambia passport

Gambia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Gambia

Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holders can enter Gambia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?

With 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Saudi Arabia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Gambia and Saudi Arabia.

Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Gambia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Gambia?

Gambia 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 1.0 in Gambia. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Gambia: 46).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 90°F in Banjul. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Banjul gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Gambia, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GM SA
Population 2,413,403 35,354,380
Currency Gambian Dalasi (GMD) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages English Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +220 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911