Moving to Saudi Arabia from New York
What to Expect
Considering a move from New York to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New York to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 53.9% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly SAR130,000 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 62°F in New York City, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Saudi Arabia cheaper than New York?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 64.5% less
Groceries
pay 49.1% less
Transportation
pay 30.0% less
Housing
pay 66.7% less
Childcare
pay 73.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Saudi Arabia?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → SAR130,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →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 31% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
New York 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 New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Saudi Arabia vs New York
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
National Center for Meteorology
Can you move from New York to Saudi Arabia?
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 New York?
On average Saudi Arabia is about 54% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR32,500 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
From major Saudi Arabia cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and Saudi Arabia are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to New York?
New York performs better than Saudi Arabia across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In New York, the official language is English.
