Moving to Saudi Arabia from Qatar
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Qatar to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Qatar to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 8.5% cheaper than Qatar overall. A QAR272,812 salary in Qatar would need to be roughly SAR198,223 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Qatar to Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
QAR272,812 → SAR198,223
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 1.1% more
Groceries
pay 9.3% more
Transportation
pay 8.7% more
Housing
pay 27.7% less
Childcare
pay 48.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.6% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Qatar to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Qatar 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
Qatar 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
Qatar 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
Qatar 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
Qatar 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
Qatar generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Public Revenues and Tax Department, Qatar, 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 | Doha | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 99°/76°F (37°/24°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 104°/83°F (40°/28°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/67°F (30°/19°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Doha | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°/55°F (21.7°/12.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 73°/57°F (23.0°/13.7°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.7°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 89°/69°F (31.9°/20.6°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 101°/77°F (38.2°/25.0°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 106°/82°F (41.2°/27.7°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 107°/84°F (41.5°/29.1°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 105°/84°F (40.7°/28.9°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 101°/80°F (38.6°/26.5°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 95°/74°F (35.2°/23.4°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.5°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 75°/59°F (24.1°/15.0°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Qatar Meteorology Department,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Qatar 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.
Qatar passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Qatar
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 Qatar?
Yes — Saudi Arabia is on average about 30% cheaper than Qatar. 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 SAR49,556 in Saudi Arabia on a QAR272,812 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?
Qatar performs better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Qatar.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Qatar?
Qatar 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 25.0 in Qatar. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Qatar: 76).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Qatar?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 91°F in Doha. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Doha gets 3.0 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia share the same official language: Arabic.
