Moving to Maldives from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Maldives? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Maldives, you would find that Maldives is 16.8% more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR280,000 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly MVR1,350,000 in Maldives to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Maldivian. 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 ↓Is Maldives cheaper than Saudi Arabia?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 15.1% more
Groceries
pay 26.4% more
Transportation
pay 1.9% more
Housing
pay 50.6% more
Childcare
pay 60.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Maldives?
What does your salary buy?
SAR280,000 → MVR1,350,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Maldives
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Maldives compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Maldives performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives 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
Maldives 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
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Maldives 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Maldives 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 generally does better on family life, though Maldives leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Can you move from Saudi Arabia to Maldives?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Maldives. To live, work, or study long-term in Maldives, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Maldives's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Maldives
Visa on Arrival
Maldives 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 Maldives than Saudi Arabia?
On average Maldives is around 17% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Maldives?
Budget about MVR337,500 for 3 months in Maldives (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 Maldives?
Connectivity is usually fine (Maldives: 19.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Maldives offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Maldives safe for expats?
Maldives performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Maldives is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Maldives compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Maldives leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Maldives, compared to 34.1 in Saudi Arabia. Maldives scores 61 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What language do they speak in Maldives?
The official language in Maldives is Maldivian. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
