Moving to Saudi Arabia from Rwanda

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Rwanda to Saudi Arabia — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Rwanda to Saudi Arabia, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 80°F in Kigali, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Rwanda and Saudi Arabia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

per 100,000 people per year

RW
3.6
SA
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RW
11.6
SA
18.5

Rwanda generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RW
$177
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RW
1.2
SA
30.8

Rwanda generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RW
62.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

RW
0.2t
SA
18.5t

Rwanda 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

RW
0.3
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RW
20.2%
SA
974.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RW
14.9%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RW
$3,000
SA
$49,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RW
65.8 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RW
26.4
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Rwanda across all family life metrics.

Data: Rwanda Revenue Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kigali Rain: 37.4 in/yr (951 mm)
80° / 60°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kigali Riyadh
Jan–Mar 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/60°F (28°/16°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 80°/60°F (27°/16°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Kigali Riyadh
Jan 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.6°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 81°/60°F (27.4°/15.8°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.7°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 79°/61°F (26.2°/16.1°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.2°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.3°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 81°/59°F (27.1°/15.0°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 82°/61°F (28.0°/16.0°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.0°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 81°/61°F (27.2°/15.9°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 79°/60°F (26.1°/15.5°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.6°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Rwanda Meteorology Agency Rwanda Meteorology Agency, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Rwanda 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.

Rwanda passport

Rwanda passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Rwanda

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?

With 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Saudi Arabia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Rwanda and Saudi Arabia.

Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Rwanda 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 3.6 in Rwanda.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Rwanda?

Rwanda 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 1.2 in Rwanda. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Rwanda: 49).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 80°F in Kigali. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Kigali gets 37.4 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Rwanda, the official languages are English, French and Kinyarwanda.

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At a Glance

RW SA
Population 13,173,730 35,354,380
Currency Rwandan Franc (RWF) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages English, French, Kinyarwanda Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +250 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911