Moving to United States from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to United States, you would find that United States is 2.3 times more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,865 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly $130,013 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and United States.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,865 → $130,013
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 39.9% more
Housing
pay 2.6 times more
Childcare
pay 3.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 43.4% 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.
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 United States cost about 99% more than cities in Saudi Arabia.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Saudi Arabia to United States.
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 United States compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths.
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 United States 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
United States 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
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia leads in internet access.
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
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Saudi Arabia leads in top income tax 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
United States generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in education spending.
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 | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°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 United States than Saudi Arabia?
On average United States is around 73% pricier than Saudi Arabia, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $32,503 for 3 months in United States (based on a SAR281,865 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 37.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United States safe for expats?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though United States leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
