Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is a vast and influential country located in the Arabian Peninsula of Western Asia, serving as the birthplace of Islam and home to the religion's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina. Geographically, the nation is characterized by expansi...
Your Saudi Arabia Roadmap
40+ page relocation analysis tailored to your profile.
- Custom Tax & Cost Projection
- District Matching for your Lifestyle
- Vetted Local Partner Directory
With a safety index of 77/100, Saudi Arabia offers good safety conditions for expats and their families.
Saudi Arabia requires most international travelers, including citizens of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia, to obtain an eVisa prior to arrival for tourism purposes. The tourist eVisa, launched in 2019, allows eligible nationals from over 60 countries to apply online via the official platform (visa.visitsaudi.com), granting a single-entry stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period for 440 SAR (approximately US$117), including mandatory health insurance.[1][3][5] Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from...
Discover Cities in Saudi Arabia
Create your free profile to see personalized match scores.
7% below EU avg
18% above EU avg
6% above EU avg
99% above EU avg
Baselines based on EU averages. Source: Numbeo indices.
Capital
Riyadh
Timezone
UTC+03:00
Area
2,149,690 km²
Population
34,813,867
Saudi Arabia shows a purchasing power index of 140/100, indicating excellent economic conditions for expats.
GDP
$1.11T
HDI
0.9
Quality of Life
71/100
+28 vs NYC
Purchasing Power
58/100
+16 vs NYC
Understanding the economic landscape is essential for evaluating living costs and opportunities in Saudi Arabia. This comprehensive overview covers key financial indicators including cost of living, housing markets, income levels, and fiscal policies that shape daily life and long-term financial planning.
Cost of Living Index
Affordable costs (CPI: 43.97). Groceries (41.37), restaurants (34.53), and rent (12.89) are low compared to NYC=100 baseline.
Housing Market
Very affordable housing (property-to-income ratio: 4.40 years). Low rent index supports accessibility for residents.
Average Income Levels
Excellent purchasing power (index: 136.83). High GDP per capita around $35,000 enhances buying power for expats.
Tax System
No personal income tax for residents. 15% VAT and low corporate taxes (20%) provide simplicity and low burden.
Business Environment
Strong growth with non-oil GDP at 4.6% YoY in 2025. Reforms improve ease of doing business amid Vision 2030 diversification.
Social Security
Free public healthcare for citizens; expats need insurance. GOSI pensions and unemployment benefits mainly cover Saudis.
Saudi Arabia features a predominantly arid desert climate with extreme summer heat exceeding 40°C and cooler winters that can drop below freezing in highlands. Low rainfall characterizes most regions, though the southwestern Asir mountains receive higher monsoon-influenced precipitation.
5 distinct climate regions — see full guide for details
Read full guideLife Expectancy
74.6
Population
34,813,867
Religions
Currently under research
Ethnic Composition
Currently under research
Research in Progress
We're currently analyzing expat perspectives for Saudi Arabia. Check back soon for insights from real experiences!
We're gradually rolling out this feature and continuously improving the insights. The data is based on real expat discussions and will become more comprehensive over time.
Saudi Arabia remains an absolute monarchy under King Salman, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman serving as prime minister and consolidating power. Political parties are banned, and governance centers on Vision 2030 reforms for economic diversification amid limited political participation.
Your Saudi Arabia Roadmap
40+ page relocation analysis tailored to your profile.
- Custom Tax & Cost Projection
- District Matching for your Lifestyle
- Vetted Local Partner Directory
Population
34,813,867
Currency
SAR
Timezone
UTC+03:00
Calling Code
+966
Week starts on
Sunday
Gini Coefficient
N/A
Traffic side
right side
Data Source: Safety, crime, and quality metrics are sourced from Numbeo, a crowd-sourced global database of reported data.
All scores are relative comparisons on a 0-100 scale, where 50 = global average. Higher scores mean better than average, lower scores mean worse than average.