Moving to Saudi Arabia from New Zealand
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 22.1% cheaper than New Zealand overall. A NZ$130,152 salary in New Zealand would need to be roughly SAR222,403 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 62°F in Wellington, making it significantly warmer.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
NZ$130,152 → SAR222,403
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 55.8% less
Groceries
pay 27.6% less
Transportation
pay 26.4% less
Housing
pay 15.3% less
Childcare
pay 48.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.1% 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.
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 5% less than cities in New Zealand.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.
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
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
New Zealand performs better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though New Zealand leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though New Zealand leads in unemployment rate.
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
New Zealand generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: New Zealand Inland Revenue Department, 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 | Wellington | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/58°F (21°/14°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 59°/49°F (15°/10°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 56°/46°F (13°/8°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 64°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Wellington | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/58°F (21.2°/14.7°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 70°/59°F (21.3°/14.8°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 68°/56°F (19.8°/13.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 63°/53°F (17.4°/11.5°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 59°/49°F (15.2°/9.7°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 56°/46°F (13.1°/7.9°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 54°/44°F (12.3°/6.9°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 55°/45°F (12.9°/7.4°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 58°/48°F (14.5°/8.8°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 60°/50°F (15.8°/10.0°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 64°/53°F (17.5°/11.4°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 67°/56°F (19.6°/13.5°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
New Zealand National Meteorological Service,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between New Zealand 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.
New Zealand passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting New Zealand
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: 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 Zealand?
Yes — Saudi Arabia is on average about 21% cheaper than New Zealand. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SAR55,601 in Saudi Arabia on a NZ$130,152 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and 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?
New Zealand generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in New Zealand.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to New Zealand?
New Zealand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 35.7 in New Zealand. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (New Zealand: 85).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to New Zealand?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 62°F in Wellington. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Wellington gets 37.7 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In New Zealand, the official languages are English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.
