Moving to Belgium from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Belgium — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Belgium, you would find that Belgium is 2.2 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,683 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly €96,973 in Belgium to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Dutch, French and German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Brussels averages 57°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 Belgium.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,683 → €96,973
To maintain the same standard of living in Belgium
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.9 times more
Groceries
pay 57.7% more
Transportation
pay 84.2% more
Housing
pay 72.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 36.2% 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Saudi Arabia to Belgium, based on official data.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to Belgium · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Belgium.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Belgium 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
Belgium 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
Belgium 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 Belgium 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium 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
Belgium 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 | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Brussels |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Institut Royal Météorologique
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Belgium. To live, work, or study long-term in Belgium, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Belgium's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa Required
Belgium 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 Belgium than Saudi Arabia?
No — Belgium is on average about 48% more expensive than Saudi Arabia. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Belgium?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €24,243 in Belgium on a SAR281,683 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Belgium?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Belgium has 43.5 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 Belgium safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Belgium leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Belgium is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Belgium compared to Saudi Arabia?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 63.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Belgium, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Belgium scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Belgium compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Brussels is 57°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Brussels receives around 32.3 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Belgium?
The official languages in Belgium are Dutch, French and German. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
