Moving to Saudi Arabia from Nepal

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Nepal to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Nepal to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 3.3 times more expensive than Nepal overall. A NPR11,474,748 salary in Nepal would need to be roughly SAR561,379 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 77°F in Kathmandu, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Nepal to Saudi Arabia.

What does your salary buy?

NPR11,474,748 SAR561,379

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 2.1 times more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 56.4% more

Housing

pay 6.6 times more

Childcare

pay 4.7 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.7 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NPR = 0.0247 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Nepal to Saudi Arabia, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
503,404 ↑ 25% vs 2015

people born in Nepal live in Saudi Arabia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Saudi Arabia?

Top countries of origin for Saudi Arabia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nepal to Saudi Arabia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

NP
2.1
SA
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NP
28.2
SA
18.5

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NP
$332
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

NP
8.7
SA
30.8

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nepal leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NP
76.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NP
0.5t
SA
18.5t

Nepal 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

NP
4.7
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NP
8.3%
SA
974.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

NP
10.7%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

NP
$4,700
SA
$49,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

NP
72.4 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NP
25.1
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Nepal 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.

Kathmandu Rain: 56.1 in/yr (1425 mm)
77° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kathmandu Riyadh
Jan–Mar 69°/40°F (21°/4°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/67°F (28°/19°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Kathmandu Riyadh
Jan 64°/36°F (18.0°/2.1°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 68°/39°F (20.2°/3.8°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 76°/46°F (24.3°/7.5°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 81°/52°F (27.4°/11.3°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 83°/60°F (28.2°/15.5°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 83°/66°F (28.3°/19.0°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 82°/68°F (27.7°/20.0°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 82°/67°F (28.0°/19.7°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 81°/65°F (27.2°/18.2°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 78°/55°F (25.8°/13.0°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (22.7°/7.4°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 67°/37°F (19.4°/3.0°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Department of Hydrology and meteorology Department of Hydrology and meteorology, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nepal 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.

Nepal passport

Nepal passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Nepal

Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Nepal.

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 Nepal?

No — Saudi Arabia is on average about 98% more expensive than Nepal. City-level variation matters.

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

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SAR140,345 in Saudi Arabia on a NPR11,474,748 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Saudi Arabia has 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Nepal across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Nepal.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Nepal?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Nepal leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 8.7 in Nepal. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nepal: 54).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 77°F in Kathmandu. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kathmandu gets 56.1 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Nepal, the official language is Nepali.

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At a Glance

NP SA
Population 30,666,598 35,354,380
Currency Nepalese Rupee (NPR) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages Nepali Arabic
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +977 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 911