Moving to Kenya from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Kenya? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Kenya, you would find that Kenya is 30.4% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR282,923 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly KES5,390,444 in Kenya to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Swahili. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Nairobi averages 74°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Kenya.
What does your salary buy?
SAR282,923 → KES5,390,444
To maintain the same standard of living in Kenya
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 6.5% less
Groceries
pay 31.5% less
Transportation
pay 14.4% more
Housing
pay 60.9% less
Childcare
pay 18.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 45.4% 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.
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Kenya compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics.
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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya 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
Kenya 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Kenya 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 Kenya 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 Kenya across all family life metrics.
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 | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 73°/55°F (23°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 72°/50°F (22°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Nairobi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 76°/53°F (24.5°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 78°/53°F (25.6°/11.6°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 78°/56°F (25.6°/13.1°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 75°/57°F (24.1°/14.0°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 73°/56°F (22.6°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 71°/52°F (21.5°/11.0°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 69°/50°F (20.6°/10.1°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 71°/50°F (21.4°/10.2°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 76°/54°F (24.7°/12.5°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.1°/13.1°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.6°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Kenya Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Kenya. To live, work, or study long-term in Kenya, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Kenya's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Kenya
Electronic Travel Authorisation
Kenya 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 Kenya than Saudi Arabia?
On average Kenya is about 44% less expensive than Saudi Arabia, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Kenya?
Budget about KES1,347,611 for 3 months in Kenya (based on a SAR282,923 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Kenya?
Connectivity is usually fine (Kenya: 1.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Kenya offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Kenya safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia performs better than Kenya across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Kenya is 4.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Kenya compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kenya leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 1.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Kenya, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Kenya scores 53 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Kenya compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Nairobi is 74°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Nairobi receives around 40.3 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Kenya?
The official languages in Kenya are English and Swahili. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
