Moving to Thailand from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Saudi Arabia to Thailand — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Thailand, you would find that Thailand is 5.4% cheaper than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,865 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly THB2,177,795 in Thailand to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Thai. 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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Saudi Arabia to Thailand.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,865 → THB2,177,795
To maintain the same standard of living in Thailand
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 9.1% less
Groceries
pay 12.1% more
Transportation
pay 16.2% more
Housing
pay 35.9% less
Childcare
pay 36.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.0% 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.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Thailand cost about 21% less than cities in Saudi Arabia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Saudi Arabia to Thailand, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Thailand.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia performs better than Thailand 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
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Thailand 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
share of households with internet
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Thailand 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 generally does better on employment & economy, though Thailand leads in unemployment rate.
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 Thailand leads in life expectancy.
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 | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 93°/78°F (34°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 89°/73°F (32°/23°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Bangkok |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 90°/70°F (32.0°/21.0°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 93°/77°F (33.7°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 95°/79°F (34.9°/26.1°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 93°/78°F (34.0°/25.6°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.4°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 91°/77°F (32.7°/25.0°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 90°/77°F (32.5°/24.9°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 90°/76°F (32.3°/24.6°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 90°/76°F (32.0°/24.3°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.1°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 88°/69°F (31.3°/20.8°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Thai Meteorological Department
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia and Thailand. To live, work, or study long-term in Thailand, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Thailand's immigration authority.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Thailand
Visa Free
Thailand 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 Thailand than Saudi Arabia?
Yes — Thailand is on average about 13% cheaper than Saudi Arabia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Thailand?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly THB544,449 in Thailand on a SAR281,865 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Thailand?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Thailand has 17.5 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 Thailand safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia performs better than Thailand across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Thailand is 4.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Thailand compared to Saudi Arabia?
Thailand generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 9.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Thailand, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Thailand scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Thailand compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Bangkok is 91°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Bangkok receives around 59.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Thailand?
The official language in Thailand is Thai. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
