Moving to India from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to India? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to India, you would find that India is 69.6% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR280,000 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly ₹2,200,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and India.
What does your salary buy?
SAR280,000 → ₹2,200,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 58.1% less
Groceries
pay 60.0% less
Transportation
pay 52.2% less
Housing
pay 80.1% less
Childcare
pay 85.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 66.9% less
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 India cost about 64% less 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 India.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in India 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 India 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India 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
India 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 India 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 performs better than India across all employment & economy metrics.
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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia performs better than India across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Department of Zakat and Income Tax (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riyadh | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
India Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in India than Saudi Arabia?
On average India is about 70% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Budget about ₹550,000 for 3 months in India (based on a SAR280,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Connectivity is usually fine (India: 3.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does India offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is India safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though India leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in India compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 34.1 in Saudi Arabia. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in India compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
