Moving to South Carolina from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 2.2 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR277,199 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly $107,558 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Columbia averages 66°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 South Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
SAR277,199 → $107,558
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 4.0 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 18.8% more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 3.4 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.2% 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.
Get free moving quotes to South Carolina
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to South Carolina.
people moved from Saudi Arabia to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
75.77,946
Saudi Arabia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to Saudi Arabia.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Saudi Arabia performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia performs better than South Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though South Carolina leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Saudi Arabia performs better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Riyadh | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 South Carolina than Saudi Arabia?
On average South Carolina is around 43% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
Budget about $26,890 for 3 months in South Carolina (based on a SAR277,199 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Carolina?
From major South Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Saudi Arabia and South Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia performs better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in South Carolina?
The official language in South Carolina is English. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
