Saudi Arabia Salary for Sri Lankans 2026

How much do Sri Lankans earn in Saudi Arabia?

Most Sri Lankan workers in Saudi Arabia earn SAR 1,000-5,000 a month, about LKR 88,000-441,000 at LKR 88.1 per riyal (5 October 2026). Housemaids and labourers earn SAR 1,000-1,600 with housing, drivers and cooks SAR 1,500-4,000, and nurses and engineers SAR 5,000-15,000. There is no general minimum wage for foreign workers.

How we checked this

We read the 2023 Saudi domestic worker regulation as reported by Saudi Gazette, and the Musaned site.
We checked SLBFE's fee page and the 2022 Cabinet decision on the minimum age for domestic workers.
We did this in October 2026 and converted riyals at the 5 October 2026 mid-rate.
Pay by job and living costs are our estimates, not official figures.

Saudi Arabia Salary by Job for Sri Lankan Workers

These ranges are SalaryLK editorial estimates of basic monthly pay from Saudi job adverts and recruitment notices aimed at Sri Lankan and South Asian workers. Rupee figures use about LKR 88.1 per riyal. Free housing, transport and food are common in blue-collar jobs and are worth a lot.

Job	Monthly (SAR)	Approx. LKR
Domestic worker (housemaid)Housing and food in the home	1,000 - 1,500	88,000 - 132,000
Labourer / general helperCamp housing usually provided	1,000 - 1,500	88,000 - 132,000
CleanerCleaning and facilities companies	1,000 - 1,600	88,000 - 141,000
House driverSaudi driving licence required	1,500 - 2,500	132,000 - 220,000
Security guardLong shifts common	1,500 - 2,500	132,000 - 220,000
Waiter / hotel staffService charge extra in some hotels	1,500 - 2,500	132,000 - 220,000
CookHotel and restaurant chefs earn more	1,800 - 3,500	159,000 - 308,000
Heavy vehicle driverSaudi heavy licence required	2,500 - 4,000	220,000 - 352,000
Electrician / technicianTrade certificate helps	2,000 - 4,000	176,000 - 352,000
AccountantCA, CIMA or ACCA raise pay	4,000 - 9,000	352,000 - 793,000
NurseSaudi health licence required	5,000 - 10,000	441,000 - 881,000
Civil engineerSaudi Council of Engineers registration	8,000 - 15,000	705,000 - 1,322,000

Compare these with home pay before you decide: a housekeeper in Sri Lanka, an electrician in Sri Lanka or a truck driver in Sri Lanka. Nurses should also read our nurse salary in Sri Lanka guide, since Saudi hospitals pay several times more.

What are the rules for Sri Lankan housemaids in Saudi Arabia?

Domestic work is covered by its own regulation, not the main labour law. Saudi Arabia published an updated domestic worker regulation in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette on 8 October 2023, enforced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Contracts for housemaids and house drivers are handled through Musaned, the government's domestic labour platform. The key rights:

Rule	What it says
Minimum age (Saudi rule)	21
Minimum age (Sri Lanka rule, all destinations since 2022)	21
Maximum working hours	10 hours a day
Daily rest	At least 8 hours in a row; no more than 5 hours of work without a break
Weekly rest	One paid day off a week
Annual leave	30 days paid plus a return ticket after 2 years
Sick leave	Up to 30 days (15 on full pay, 15 on half pay)
End-of-service award	One month's wage after every 4 years
Passport	Employer may not keep it

On the Sri Lankan side, the Cabinet set 21 as the minimum age for women going abroad as domestic workers to any country in 2022, replacing the older 25-year limit for Saudi Arabia. SLBFE also asks women under 45 for a Family Background Report and requires pre-departure training for domestic workers. We could not find an official Saudi minimum salary for housemaids, so we do not quote one.

What does it cost to live in Saudi Arabia?

Housemaids live with the family, so their costs are close to zero. Company workers usually get camp or shared housing. If you have to pay your own way, these are the monthly costs we would plan for in Riyadh or Jeddah.

Monthly cost	SAR
Shared room (if not provided)	400 - 900
Food (cooking in shared housing)	400 - 700
Transport	100 - 300
Phone and data	50 - 150
Total if housing and food are not provided	950 - 2,050

Saudi Arabia does not tax employee salaries. A housemaid on SAR 1,200 can often send home almost the whole salary, about LKR 106,000. A company worker on SAR 2,000 with free housing can usually save SAR 1,000-1,400. Our cost of living vs salary guide helps you compare with staying home.

What is the legal route to a Saudi job?

There is no government-to-government recruitment scheme between Sri Lanka and Saudi Arabia like the Korea EPS. Most workers go through SLBFE-licensed agencies, which work with licensed Saudi recruitment offices. Private-sector contracts are recorded on the Qiwa platform and domestic contracts on Musaned.

Whatever the job, register with SLBFE before you leave. The first-time fee is Rs. 22,027 (Rs. 18,200 plus VAT and SSCL); renewal for the same employer is Rs. 4,599. Registration gives you SLBFE insurance and the support of the labour sections at the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah.

How to Get a Saudi Arabia Work Visa from Sri Lanka

1. Find a job through a legal channel
Use an SLBFE-licensed recruitment agency, the SLBFE job bank or a direct offer from a Saudi employer. Check the agency on SLBFE's licensed agency list on slbfe.lk first.
2. Get a written contract
Private-sector contracts are recorded on Saudi Arabia's Qiwa platform; domestic worker contracts go through Musaned. The contract must show the salary, hours, housing and duration in a language you understand.
3. Complete the medical test and visa
Do the pre-employment medical at a GCC-approved medical centre in Sri Lanka, then the employer or agency processes your work visa with the Saudi embassy.
4. Register with SLBFE and attend training
Pay the SLBFE registration fee of Rs. 22,027 for a first registration. Domestic workers must also complete SLBFE pre-departure training, and women under 45 need a Family Background Report.
5. Travel and get your Iqama
After arrival the employer issues your Iqama (residence permit). Keep copies of your passport, contract and Iqama, and save the Sri Lankan embassy labour section number.

How to avoid fake agents for Saudi jobs

- Use only agencies on SLBFE's list of licensed foreign employment agencies.
- Never pay cash to an individual or a village sub-agent; ask for an official receipt every time.
- Read the salary on the actual contract, not on a WhatsApp message.
- Do not go on a visit or Umrah visa to work; it is illegal and leaves you without SLBFE cover.
- Check any doubtful offer with the SLBFE hotline 1989.

Compare other Gulf destinations in our guides to Dubai salary for Sri Lankans, Qatar salary and Kuwait salary, or look at Maldives jobs. Higher-paying official routes include Korea EPS jobs, Japan SSW jobs and Israel caregiver jobs.

Our take: who Saudi Arabia suits

Saudi Arabia is a large market with a lot of jobs, and for skilled people the pay is good: nurses and engineers can earn far more than at home, tax free. For unskilled work, the pay is similar to Qatar and Kuwait and lower in rupees than Korea or Israel.

For housemaids, the 2023 regulation is a real improvement on paper. The weak points are still enforcement inside private homes and the lack of a published minimum salary.

What we would do first: go only through a licensed agency, make sure the contract is on Musaned or Qiwa before you fly, keep a copy at home with your family, and register with SLBFE so the embassy knows where you are.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Saudi Arabia salary for Sri Lankans?

Most Sri Lankan workers in Saudi Arabia earn SAR 1,000 to 5,000 a month, about LKR 88,000 to 441,000 at roughly LKR 88.1 per riyal in October 2026. Housemaids, labourers and cleaners earn SAR 1,000-1,600 with housing, drivers and cooks SAR 1,500-4,000, and nurses, accountants and engineers SAR 4,000-15,000. These are SalaryLK estimates.

What is the salary of a Sri Lankan housemaid in Saudi Arabia?

Our estimate is SAR 1,000 to 1,500 a month, about LKR 88,000 to 132,000, with housing and food provided by the family. Experienced workers and those with nursing or childcare skills earn towards the top. Saudi Arabia has no published minimum wage for domestic workers, so the salary in your Musaned contract is what counts.

Is there a minimum wage in Saudi Arabia for Sri Lankans?

No general minimum wage applies to foreign workers in Saudi Arabia. The SAR 4,000 figure often quoted relates to how Saudi nationals are counted for local hiring quotas, not to foreign workers. Your pay is what your contract says, so read the salary, allowances and overtime terms carefully before you sign.

What is Musaned?

Musaned is the Saudi government platform for recruiting domestic workers such as housemaids and house drivers. Employers apply for the visa and record the contract through it, and it publishes guidance on workers' rights. If you are going as a domestic worker, your contract should be registered on Musaned before you travel.

What are the new rules for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia?

A regulation published in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette on 8 October 2023 sets the minimum age at 21, caps work at 10 hours a day, and requires 8 hours of continuous rest, a paid weekly day off, 30 days of paid leave after two years, sick leave, and an end-of-service award. Employers may not keep the worker's passport.

How much is 1 Saudi riyal in Sri Lankan rupees?

On 5 October 2026 the market mid-rate was about LKR 88.1 per Saudi riyal. The riyal is pegged to the US dollar, so its rupee value follows the USD/LKR rate. Banks and exchange houses pay a little below the mid-rate, so compare rates before you send money home.

How much does SLBFE registration cost for a Saudi job?

The initial SLBFE registration fee is Rs. 22,027, which is Rs. 18,200 plus VAT and SSCL. Renewal when you go back to the same employer on a re-entry visa costs Rs. 4,599. Registration gives you SLBFE insurance cover and access to help from the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah.

Do Sri Lankans pay income tax in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia does not tax employee salaries, so you receive your contract salary in full apart from agreed deductions. Sri Lanka taxes residents on worldwide income, but someone living and working abroad for most of the year is usually treated as non-resident. If you return to a local job, our tax calculator shows your APIT.

Can I change jobs in Saudi Arabia?

Private-sector workers can change employer in some situations without the old employer's consent, through the Qiwa platform, usually after completing a year with the employer or when the contract ends. Domestic workers are covered by separate rules. Check your situation with the Ministry of Human Resources or the embassy labour section before resigning.

Planning to return to a job in Sri Lanka? Use the Sri Lanka tax calculator to check your take-home pay.