Moving to Jordan from Saudi Arabia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Jordan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Jordan, you would find that Jordan is 20.0% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,865 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly JOD37,358 in Jordan to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Amman averages 74°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Saudi Arabia to Jordan.

What does your salary buy?

SAR281,865 JOD37,358

To maintain the same standard of living in Jordan

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 13.8% less

Groceries

pay 31.0% less

Transportation

pay 16.4% more

Housing

pay 40.6% less

Childcare

pay 45.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 0.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 SAR = 0.1887 JOD (July 2026)

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 Jordan, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
5,064 ↑ 30% vs 2015

people born in Saudi Arabia live in Jordan · UN DESA

Who's moving to Jordan?

Top countries of origin for Jordan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Jordan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

SA
0.8
JO
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SA
18.5
JO
13.6

Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Jordan leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SA
$3,475
JO
$798
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SA
30.8
JO
25.1

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jordan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SA
91.0
JO
38.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SA
18.5t
JO
2.1t

Jordan performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

SA
37.0
JO
7.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SA
974.2%
JO
102.5%

Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Jordan leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SA
4.9%
JO
17.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SA
$49,600
JO
$9,400

Saudi Arabia performs better than Jordan across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SA
76.7 yrs
JO
76.0 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SA
12.3
JO
13.9

Saudi Arabia generally does better on family life, though Jordan leads in literacy rate.

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.

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Amman Rain: 10.6 in/yr (269 mm)
74° / 52°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riyadh Amman
Jan–Mar 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) 58°/40°F (14°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) 81°/56°F (27°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) 69°/49°F (21°/9°C)
View all months
Month Riyadh Amman
Jan 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) 54°/38°F (12.3°/3.6°C)
Feb 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) 57°/40°F (13.7°/4.2°C)
Mar 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) 63°/43°F (17.2°/6.1°C)
Apr 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) 73°/49°F (22.6°/9.5°C)
May 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) 82°/56°F (27.8°/13.5°C)
Jun 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.6°C)
Jul 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) 90°/65°F (32.0°/18.5°C)
Aug 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) 90°/65°F (32.4°/18.6°C)
Sep 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) 87°/62°F (30.7°/16.6°C)
Oct 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) 81°/57°F (27.1°/13.8°C)
Nov 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) 69°/49°F (20.4°/9.3°C)
Dec 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) 58°/41°F (14.4°/5.2°C)

Data: National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology, Jordan Meteorological Department Jordan Meteorological Department

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Jordan. To live, work, or study long-term in Jordan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Jordan's immigration authority.

Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Jordan

Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holders can enter Jordan without a visa.
Jordan passport

Jordan passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

Visa Required
Jordan passport holders need a visa to enter Saudi Arabia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Jordan than Saudi Arabia?

Yes — Jordan is on average about 30% cheaper than Saudi Arabia. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Jordan?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly JOD9,340 in Jordan on a SAR281,865 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Jordan?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Jordan has 7.1 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 Jordan safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Jordan leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Jordan is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.

How is healthcare in Jordan compared to Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jordan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Jordan, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Jordan scores 65 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).

What's the weather like in Jordan compared to Saudi Arabia?

The average high temperature in Amman is 74°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Amman receives around 10.6 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.

What language do they speak in Jordan?

Both Saudi Arabia and Jordan share the same official language: Arabic.

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At a Glance

SA JO
Population 35,354,380 10,998,531
Currency Saudi Riyal (SAR) Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
Languages Arabic Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +966 +962
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911