WEALTH ATLAS
Work in progress. The Wealth Atlas is in development. Only Paraguay has been checked in full; for the other places some figures may still be inaccurate. Verify before you rely on them.

Moving to Saudi Arabia: tax, residence and real costs (2026)

Saudi Arabia: 0% on foreign income · 0% on local income. The cheapest route to residence is premium Residency (limited duration, SAR 100k a year, spent each year): about USD 27k in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, in about 2 months. Living costs about USD 1,650 a month for one person in Riyadh, USD 740 in Ha'il, and around USD 700 on a bare-minimum budget.

Key facts

Tax in one line0% on foreign income · 0% on local income
Foreign incomenot taxed
Gains · dividends0 · 0
Wealth · inheritance taxnone · none
Cheapest residencePremium Residency (limited duration, SAR 100k a year, spent each year)
Money neededAbout USD 27k in fees doing it yourself, with no investment
Timeabout 2 months
Doable yourself?Mostly; a local fixer for one step helps
Days you must spend there-
Citizenshipnone
Online business0% effective, about USD 27k a year to run: no personal income tax; the yearly residency fee is the real cost
Living (one person a month)Riyadh ~USD 1,650; bare minimum ~USD 700; family of four ~USD 2,850
Good forstate mega-projects; regional HQ 0% tax for 30 years
Common set-upPremium Residency + company

Pros and cons

ProsCons
  • Zero personal tax
  • Giant state projects (Vision 2030) to sell to
  • Premium residency open to all
  • Social restrictions
  • Contracts with the state need local partners

Programmes

ProgrammeAll-in, one personMonthsNotes
Premium ResidencyUSD 30k2SAR 100k a year (renewable) or SAR 800k once for permanent.

Questions

How much does residence in Saudi Arabia cost?
Premium Residency (limited duration, SAR 100k a year, spent each year): about USD 27k in fees doing it yourself, with no investment, about 2 months.
Does Saudi Arabia tax foreign income?
Not taxed. In one line: 0% on foreign income · 0% on local income.
What does it cost to live in Saudi Arabia?
Living costs about USD 1,650 a month for one person in Riyadh, USD 740 in Ha'il, and around USD 700 on a bare-minimum budget (based on livingcost.org, 2026).
Can I run an online business from Saudi Arabia?
Effective tax about 0% with the cheapest legal set-up, which costs about USD 27k a year: no personal income tax; the yearly residency fee is the real cost.
What is the catch in Saudi Arabia?
Social restrictions; Contracts with the state need local partners
What residence or citizenship programmes does Saudi Arabia have?
Premium Residency: about USD 30k all-in for one person, ~2 months

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Sources