Moving to Mali from Saudi Arabia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Mali? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Mali, and you’d need to navigate life in French.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to Mali.

Living there in 2020
1,698 ↑ 17% vs 2015

people born in Saudi Arabia live in Mali · UN DESA

Who's moving to Mali?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Mali compared to Saudi Arabia.

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SA
18.5
ML
20.2

Saudi Arabia performs better than Mali across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SA
$3,475
ML
$104
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SA
30.8
ML
1.9

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SA
91.0
ML
65.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SA
18.5t
ML
0.3t

Mali 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
ML
0.8
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SA
974.2%
ML
8.0%

Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Mali 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%
ML
3.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SA
$49,600
ML
$2,500

Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Mali leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SA
76.7 yrs
ML
62.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SA
12.3
ML
60.6

Saudi Arabia performs better than Mali across all family life metrics.

Data: 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

Bamako Rain: 39.0 in/yr (991 mm)
95° / 70°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riyadh Bamako
Jan–Mar 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) 97°/68°F (36°/20°C)
Apr–Jun 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) 100°/76°F (38°/25°C)
Jul–Sep 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) 89°/71°F (32°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) 94°/66°F (34°/19°C)
View all months
Month Riyadh Bamako
Jan 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) 92°/63°F (33.4°/17.0°C)
Feb 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) 98°/68°F (36.4°/19.9°C)
Mar 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) 101°/73°F (38.5°/22.9°C)
Apr 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) 103°/77°F (39.6°/25.2°C)
May 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) 101°/78°F (38.5°/25.4°C)
Jun 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) 96°/74°F (35.3°/23.6°C)
Jul 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.2°C)
Aug 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) 88°/71°F (31.1°/21.8°C)
Sep 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) 90°/71°F (32.2°/21.6°C)
Oct 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) 94°/70°F (34.6°/21.3°C)
Nov 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) 96°/65°F (35.3°/18.4°C)
Dec 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) 92°/62°F (33.4°/16.8°C)

Data: National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology, Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO) Agence Nationale de la Météorologie du Mali (MALI-METEO)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Mali

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

Mali passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

Visa Required
Mali 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

Can I work remotely from Mali?

Connectivity is usually fine (Mali: 0.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Mali offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Mali safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia performs better than Mali across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Mali compared to Saudi Arabia?

Mali generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 1.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mali, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Mali scores 41 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).

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

The average high temperature in Bamako is 95°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Bamako receives around 39.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.

What language do they speak in Mali?

The official language in Mali is French. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SA ML
Population 35,354,380 20,741,769
Currency Saudi Riyal (SAR) CFA Franc BCEAO (F CFA)
Languages Arabic French
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +966 +223
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911