Moving to Australia from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Australia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Australia, you would find that Australia is 2.2 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,865 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly A$154,807 in Australia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Canberra averages 67°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Saudi Arabia to Australia.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,865 → A$154,807
To maintain the same standard of living in Australia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 64.9% more
Transportation
pay 62.1% more
Housing
pay 88.0% more
Childcare
pay 3.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 90.8% 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 Australia cost about 31% more than cities in Saudi Arabia.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Australia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Saudi Arabia to Australia, based on official data.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to Australia · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to Australia?
Top countries of origin for Australia's foreign-born residents.
- 1,285,149
- 653,232
- 611,266
- 579,264
- 286,303
- 269,812
- · · ·
-
61.15,444
Saudi Arabia
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Australia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Australia 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
Australia performs significantly 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 Australia 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
Australia generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in top income tax 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
Australia generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 80°/54°F (26°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 61°/39°F (16°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 56°/35°F (13°/1°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 73°/47°F (23°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Canberra |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 82°/55°F (27.7°/13.0°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 81°/55°F (27.0°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 76°/51°F (24.4°/10.7°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 68°/44°F (19.8°/6.6°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 60°/38°F (15.4°/3.1°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/-0.2°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 55°/34°F (12.9°/1.0°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 61°/38°F (16.0°/3.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 72°/47°F (22.4°/8.5°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 79°/52°F (26.0°/11.2°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Bureau of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Australia. To live, work, or study long-term in Australia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Australia's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Australia
Visa Required
Australia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Australia than Saudi Arabia?
No — Australia is on average about 44% more expensive than Saudi Arabia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Australia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly A$38,702 in Australia on a SAR281,865 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Australia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Australia has 35.1 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 Australia safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Australia leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Australia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Australia compared to Saudi Arabia?
Australia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 39.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Australia, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Australia scores 87 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Australia compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Canberra is 67°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Canberra receives around 24.8 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Australia?
The official language in Australia is English. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
