Moving to Saudi Arabia from Somalia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Somalia to Saudi Arabia.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SO
20.2
SA
18.5

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SO
$52
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SO
0.2
SA
30.8

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia 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

SO
64.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SO
0.0t
SA
18.5t

Somalia 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

SO
0.7
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SO
24.5%
SA
974.2%

Somalia generally does better on infrastructure, though Saudi Arabia leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SO
19.0%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SO
$1,500
SA
$49,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SO
55.7 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SO
86.5
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Somalia 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.

Mogadishu Rain: 18.7 in/yr (474 mm)
86° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Mogadishu Riyadh
Jan–Mar 86°/74°F (30°/24°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/73°F (29°/23°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/75°F (30°/24°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Mogadishu Riyadh
Jan 86°/73°F (30.1°/23.0°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.2°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 87°/76°F (30.7°/24.7°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 90°/78°F (32.0°/25.5°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 88°/76°F (31.1°/24.7°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.6°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 83°/73°F (28.5°/23.0°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 85°/74°F (29.2°/23.2°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 86°/76°F (30.1°/24.2°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 87°/75°F (30.5°/24.1°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 87°/74°F (30.6°/23.5°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Somalia 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.

Somalia passport

Somalia passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Somalia

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Saudi Arabia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Somalia.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Somalia across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Somalia?

Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Somalia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 0.2 in Somalia. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Somalia: 27).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 86°F in Mogadishu. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Mogadishu gets 18.7 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Somalia, the official languages are Arabic and Somali.

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At a Glance

SO SA
Population 12,386,248 35,354,380
Currency Somali Shilling (SOS) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages Arabic, Somali Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +252 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911