Moving to Finland from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Finland? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Finland, you would find that Finland is 85.3% more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly €87,531 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Finland.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → €87,531
To maintain the same standard of living in Finland
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 46.7% more
Transportation
pay 98.1% more
Housing
pay 28.3% more
Childcare
pay 32.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 71.5% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to Finland.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to Finland · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Finland compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Finland 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
Finland 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
Finland 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 Finland 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland 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
Finland 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 | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Helsinki |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Finnish Meteorological Institute
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Finland
Visa Required
Finland 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 Finland than Saudi Arabia?
On average Finland is around 33% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Finland?
Budget about €21,883 for 3 months in Finland (based on a SAR281,786 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Finland?
Connectivity is usually fine (Finland: 34.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Finland offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Finland safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Finland leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Finland compared to Saudi Arabia?
Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 43.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Finland compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Finland?
The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
