Moving to Saudi Arabia from Kuwait
What to Expect
Considering a move from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Kuwait to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 23.5% more expensive than Kuwait overall. A KWD23,156 salary in Kuwait would need to be roughly SAR285,498 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
KWD23,156 → SAR285,498
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.4% less
Groceries
pay 24.6% more
Transportation
pay 15.5% more
Housing
pay 45.7% more
Childcare
pay 27.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 30.6% 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 Kuwait.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Kuwait performs better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Kuwait 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
Kuwait generally does better on environment, though Saudi Arabia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Kuwait generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Kuwait performs better than Saudi Arabia 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
Kuwait generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Kuwait, 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 | Kuwait City | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 73°/51°F (23°/11°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 104°/76°F (40°/25°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 114°/84°F (46°/29°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/60°F (29°/15°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Kuwait City | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 67°/47°F (19.5°/8.5°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 71°/50°F (21.8°/10.0°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.9°/14.0°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 93°/67°F (33.9°/19.5°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 106°/78°F (40.9°/25.4°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 114°/84°F (45.5°/28.9°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 116°/87°F (46.7°/30.7°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 116°/85°F (46.9°/29.5°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.2°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 98°/71°F (36.6°/21.5°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.5°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 71°/50°F (21.9°/9.9°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Department,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Kuwait 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.
Kuwait passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Kuwait
Visa FreeData: 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 Kuwait?
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR71,374 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a KWD23,156 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
Kuwait performs better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Kuwait.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Kuwait?
Kuwait 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 22.9 in Kuwait. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Kuwait: 78).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Kuwait?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 94°F in Kuwait City. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kuwait City gets 4.6 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
Both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia share the same official language: Arabic.
