Moving to Saudi Arabia from Vietnam
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 2.3 times more expensive than Vietnam overall. A ₫1,973,424,584 salary in Vietnam would need to be roughly SAR391,101 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 82°F in Hanoi, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia.
What does your salary buy?
₫1,973,424,584 → SAR391,101
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 89.7% more
Groceries
pay 37.0% more
Transportation
pay 2.5 times more
Housing
pay 3.4 times more
Childcare
pay 14.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 4.1 times 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.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Vietnam to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Vietnam 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Vietnam 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Vietnam leads in water stress level.
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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on employment & economy, though Vietnam leads in unemployment 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Vietnam across all family life metrics.
Data: General Department Of Taxation - Ministry Of Finance, 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 | Hanoi | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/66°F (26°/19°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hanoi | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/58°F (20.0°/14.6°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 70°/61°F (21.3°/16.2°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 74°/66°F (23.5°/18.7°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 82°/71°F (27.7°/21.9°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 89°/76°F (31.7°/24.5°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 93°/79°F (33.8°/26.3°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 92°/80°F (33.3°/26.5°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.8°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 89°/76°F (31.6°/24.7°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 85°/72°F (29.6°/22.4°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 79°/67°F (26.3°/19.2°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 72°/60°F (22.1°/15.4°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration,
National Center for Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Vietnam 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.
Vietnam passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Vietnam
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 Vietnam?
No — Saudi Arabia is on average about 38% more expensive than Vietnam. 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 SAR97,775 in Saudi Arabia on a ₫1,973,424,584 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, 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?
Vietnam 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 1.5 in Vietnam.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Vietnam?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Vietnam leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 30.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 8.3 in Vietnam. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Vietnam: 68).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Vietnam?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 82°F in Hanoi. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Hanoi gets 64.1 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Vietnam, the official language is Vietnamese.
