Moving to Saudi Arabia from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Saudi Arabia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 34.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly SAR162,599 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 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → SAR162,599
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 63.9% less
Groceries
pay 38.2% less
Transportation
pay 23.2% less
Housing
pay 44.1% less
Childcare
pay 73.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 1.8% 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 Saudi Arabia cost about 50% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Saudi Arabia
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States and Saudi Arabia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though Saudi Arabia leads in homicide rate.
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 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: Internal Revenue Service, 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 | Washington | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa on Arrival
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 United States?
Generally yes: Saudi Arabia runs about 42% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around SAR40,650 in Saudi Arabia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
With 37.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Saudi Arabia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in United States and Saudi Arabia.
Is Saudi Arabia safe for expats?
United States 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 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to United States?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 36.1 in United States. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In United States, the official language is English.
