Moving to Saudi Arabia from Serbia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Serbia to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Serbia to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 20.0% more expensive than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly SAR302,582 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 62°F in Belgrade, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Serbia to Saudi Arabia.

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 SAR302,582

To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 46.9% less

Groceries

pay 18.0% more

Transportation

pay 14.5% more

Housing

pay 45.8% more

Childcare

pay 14.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.1 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.0366 SAR (July 2026)

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 Saudi Arabia cost about 4% less than cities in Serbia.

Serbia

Novi Sad 43%

Saudi Arabia

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Serbia to Saudi Arabia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
SA
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
SA
18.5

Serbia generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
SA
30.8

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RS
45.0
SA
91.0

Serbia performs 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

RS
29.3
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
SA
974.2%

Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Serbia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
8.7%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
SA
$49,600

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Serbia across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

RS
74.2 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
SA
12.3

Serbia generally does better on family life, though Saudi Arabia leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Belgrade Rain: 26.9 in/yr (683 mm)
62° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Riyadh
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Riyadh
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Serbia

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

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Saudi Arabia than Serbia?

No — Saudi Arabia is on average about 7% more expensive than Serbia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SAR75,646 in Saudi Arabia on a RSD7,694,475 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Saudi Arabia has 37.0 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 Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Serbia generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Serbia?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS SA
Population 6,739,471 35,354,380
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages Serbian Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911