Moving to Saudi Arabia from Oman
What to Expect
Considering a move from Oman to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Oman to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 14.0% more expensive than Oman overall. A OMR28,838 salary in Oman would need to be roughly SAR342,272 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Oman and Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
OMR28,838 → SAR342,272
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 1.4% more
Groceries
pay 11.7% more
Transportation
pay 9.2% more
Housing
pay 18.4% more
Childcare
pay 25.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.0% 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 Oman.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Oman 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Oman 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
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Oman 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Oman 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
Oman generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in gdp per capita.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on family life, though Oman leads in life expectancy.
Data: Ministry of Finance, Oman, 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 | Muscat | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 81°/65°F (27°/18°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 100°/82°F (38°/28°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 97°/83°F (36°/28°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/70°F (31°/21°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Muscat | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 77°/62°F (25.1°/16.7°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 80°/64°F (26.4°/17.8°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.3°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 94°/76°F (34.7°/24.2°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 103°/84°F (39.6°/28.7°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 104°/87°F (40.0°/30.3°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 100°/86°F (38.0°/30.1°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 96°/83°F (35.6°/28.2°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 96°/80°F (35.6°/26.8°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 94°/76°F (34.6°/24.2°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 87°/69°F (30.3°/20.8°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 80°/65°F (26.8°/18.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Directorate General of Meteorology - Civil Aviation Authority,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Oman 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.
Oman passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Oman
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 Oman?
On average Saudi Arabia is around 21% pricier than Oman, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR85,568 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a OMR28,838 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
Oman performs better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.3 in Oman.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Oman?
Oman 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 20.6 in Oman. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Oman: 70).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Oman?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 91°F in Muscat. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Muscat gets 3.5 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
Both Oman and Saudi Arabia share the same official language: Arabic.
