Moving to Saudi Arabia from Zimbabwe
What to Expect
Considering a move from Zimbabwe to Saudi Arabia? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Zimbabwe to Saudi Arabia, you would find that Saudi Arabia is 38.2% more expensive than Zimbabwe overall. A ZWL24,000,000 salary in Zimbabwe would need to be roughly SAR387,000 in Saudi Arabia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Arabic. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Riyadh averages 92°F vs 78°F in Harare, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Saudi Arabia cheaper than Zimbabwe?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.1% more
Groceries
pay 2.5% more
Transportation
pay 19.6% less
Housing
pay 94.7% more
Childcare
pay 34.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 81.2% 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.
What salary do you need in Saudi Arabia?
What does your salary buy?
ZWL24,000,000 → SAR387,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Saudi Arabia
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Saudi Arabia compared to Zimbabwe.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all safety metrics.
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 Zimbabwe 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
Zimbabwe 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
Saudi Arabia generally does better on infrastructure, though Zimbabwe 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 performs significantly better than Zimbabwe across all employment & economy metrics.
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 Zimbabwe across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (2016), Department of Zakat and Income Tax (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this
Weather in Saudi Arabia vs Zimbabwe
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harare | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/59°F (28°/15°C) | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harare | Riyadh |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°/60°F (26.2°/15.8°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) |
| Feb | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.7°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 79°/58°F (26.2°/14.5°C) | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) |
| Apr | 78°/54°F (25.6°/12.5°C) | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) |
| May | 75°/49°F (23.8°/9.3°C) | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) |
| Jun | 71°/44°F (21.8°/6.8°C) | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) |
| Jul | 71°/44°F (21.6°/6.5°C) | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) |
| Aug | 75°/47°F (24.1°/8.5°C) | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) |
| Sep | 83°/53°F (28.4°/11.7°C) | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) |
| Oct | 84°/58°F (28.8°/14.5°C) | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) |
| Nov | 82°/60°F (27.6°/15.5°C) | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) |
| Dec | 79°/60°F (26.3°/15.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Services Department,
National Center for Meteorology
Can you move from Zimbabwe to Saudi Arabia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zimbabwe 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.
Zimbabwe passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa Required
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Zimbabwe
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 Zimbabwe?
On average Saudi Arabia is around 38% pricier than Zimbabwe, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Saudi Arabia?
Budget about SAR96,750 for 3 months in Saudi Arabia (based on a ZWL24,000,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Saudi Arabia?
Connectivity is usually fine (Saudi Arabia: 44.1 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 Zimbabwe across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Saudi Arabia is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.8 in Zimbabwe.
How is healthcare in Saudi Arabia compared to Zimbabwe?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zimbabwe leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 34.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Saudi Arabia, compared to 1.4 in Zimbabwe. Saudi Arabia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zimbabwe: 55).
What's the weather like in Saudi Arabia compared to Zimbabwe?
The average high temperature in Riyadh is 92°F, compared to 78°F in Harare. Riyadh receives around 4.4 in of rainfall per year, while Harare gets 33.1 in.
What language do they speak in Saudi Arabia?
The official language in Saudi Arabia is Arabic. In Zimbabwe, the official languages are Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zimbabwean Sign Language.
Compare further: Zimbabwe vs. Saudi Arabia
At a Glance
ZW
|
SA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,950,795 | 36,973,555 |
| Currency | Zimbabwean Dollar (ZWL) | Saudi Riyal (SAR) |
| Languages | Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Khoisan, Ndau, Northern Ndebele, Shona, Sotho, Tonga, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zimbabwean Sign Language | Arabic |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +263 | +966 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 999 | 911 |