Moving to Germany from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Germany? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Germany, you would find that Germany is 2.1 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly €92,730 in Germany to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in German. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Berlin averages 56°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 Germany.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → €92,730
To maintain the same standard of living in Germany
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.8 times more
Groceries
pay 61.5% more
Transportation
pay 95.0% more
Housing
pay 81.2% more
Childcare
pay 98.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.5% 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.
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 Germany cost about 34% more than cities in Saudi Arabia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to Germany.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to Germany · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Germany 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 Germany 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
Germany 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
Germany 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 Germany 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
Germany 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
Germany 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 | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 41°/31°F (5°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 72°/55°F (22°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 47°/37°F (8°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Berlin |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 37°/29°F (2.9°/-1.9°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 40°/29°F (4.2°/-1.5°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 47°/34°F (8.5°/1.3°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 56°/40°F (13.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 66°/48°F (18.9°/9.0°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.3°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.6°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 66°/51°F (18.8°/10.6°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 56°/44°F (13.4°/6.4°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 45°/36°F (7.1°/2.2°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 40°/31°F (4.4°/-0.4°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Deutscher Wetterdienst
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Germany. To live, work, or study long-term in Germany, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Germany's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Germany
Visa Required
Germany 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 Germany than Saudi Arabia?
On average Germany is around 41% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Germany?
Budget about €23,182 for 3 months in Germany (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 Germany?
Connectivity is usually fine (Germany: 45.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Germany offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Germany safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Germany leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Germany is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Germany compared to Saudi Arabia?
Germany generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Germany, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Germany scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Germany compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Berlin is 56°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Berlin receives around 22.5 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Germany?
The official language in Germany is German. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
