Moving to Saudi Arabia from Syria

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Syria to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Syria to Saudi Arabia. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 78°F in Damascus, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Syria to Saudi Arabia.

Living there in 2020
823,261 ↑ 25% vs 2015

people born in Syria live in Saudi Arabia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Saudi Arabia?

Top countries of origin for Saudi Arabia's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to Syria.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

per 100,000 people per year

SY
2.1
SA
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SY
29.9
SA
18.5

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

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

SY
$122
SA
$3,475
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SY
11.9
SA
30.8

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

SY
83.0
SA
91.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SY
1.3t
SA
18.5t

Syria 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

SY
7.3
SA
37.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SY
124.4%
SA
974.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SY
13.5%
SA
4.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SY
$2,900
SA
$49,600

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SY
74.3 yrs
SA
76.7 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SY
15.9
SA
12.3

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Syria across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Damascus Rain: 5.3 in/yr (134 mm)
78° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Damascus Riyadh
Jan–Mar 60°/35°F (15°/2°C) 75°/50°F (24°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/51°F (29°/11°C) 101°/72°F (38°/22°C)
Jul–Sep 96°/60°F (35°/15°C) 109°/77°F (43°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 70°/40°F (21°/5°C) 84°/56°F (29°/13°C)
View all months
Month Damascus Riyadh
Jan 55°/33°F (12.6°/0.4°C) 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C)
Feb 59°/34°F (14.8°/1.3°C) 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C)
Mar 66°/39°F (18.9°/3.7°C) 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C)
Apr 76°/45°F (24.5°/7.0°C) 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C)
May 85°/51°F (29.7°/10.5°C) 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C)
Jun 94°/58°F (34.2°/14.2°C) 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C)
Jul 98°/62°F (36.5°/16.9°C) 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C)
Aug 97°/62°F (36.2°/16.5°C) 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C)
Sep 92°/55°F (33.4°/13.0°C) 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C)
Oct 82°/48°F (28.0°/8.9°C) 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C)
Nov 69°/39°F (20.3°/4.0°C) 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C)
Dec 58°/34°F (14.2°/1.3°C) 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C)

Data: Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department Ministry of Defence Meteorological Department, National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Syria 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.

Syria passport

Syria passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Syria

Visa Free
Saudi Arabia passport holders can enter Syria without a visa.

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?

Connectivity is usually fine (Saudi Arabia: 37.0 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Saudi Arabia offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?

Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Syria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.1 in Syria.

How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Syria?

Syria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 11.9 in Syria. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Syria: 64).

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

The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 78°F in Damascus. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Damascus gets 5.3 in.

What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?

Both Syria and Saudi Arabia share the same official language: Arabic.

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At a Glance

SY SA
Population 21,563,800 35,354,380
Currency Syrian Pound (SYP) Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Languages Arabic Arabic
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +963 +966
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911