Nurse Salary in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam 2026: Registered, Specialised and Assistant Nurse Pay by City, Hospital Type and Specialty, with Housing, Cost of Living and Savings

Saudi Arabia employs more international nurses than any other Gulf country, and pay varies more by employer than by city. Riyadh has the most tertiary and specialist hospitals, Jeddah the biggest private sector, and the Eastern Province the oil-sector and military hospitals with the best packages. This guide gives the bands by city and employer so you can read an offer properly. The licensing route is in the Saudi nursing licence guide.

Nurse salary bands by city

Title	Riyadh (SAR)	Jeddah (SAR)	Dammam / Khobar (SAR)
Registered Nurse (general wards)	5,000 to 8,000	4,500 to 7,500	5,000 to 8,500
Specialised nurse (ICU, ER, OR, NICU, dialysis, oncology)	6,500 to 10,500	6,000 to 9,500	6,500 to 11,000
Midwife	4,500 to 8,000	4,500 to 7,500	4,500 to 8,000
Assistant Nurse / Nurse Technician	3,000 to 5,500	3,000 to 5,000	3,000 to 5,500
Charge nurse / head nurse	9,000 to 14,000	8,500 to 13,000	9,000 to 14,500

Approximate 2026 monthly, tax-free basic-plus-allowance ranges for a mid-experience (3 to 5 year) hire, built on the Saudi bands in our salary data (registered nurse SAR 4,500 to 8,000) and adjusted by city from published scales, recruiter ranges and offers our placement team has seen. Always go by the offer letter.

Registered nurse, mid band	SAR	USD	INR	PKR	PHP
Riyadh	SAR 6,500	USD 1,730	INR 152,500	PKR 485,000	PHP 98,800
Jeddah	SAR 6,000	USD 1,600	INR 140,800	PKR 448,000	PHP 91,200
Dammam / Khobar	SAR 6,750	USD 1,800	INR 158,400	PKR 504,000	PHP 102,600

Conversions at fixed rates (USD 1 = SAR 3.75, INR 88, PKR 280, PHP 57).

By employer type

Employer	Pay and package	Where
Ministry of Health hospitals and clusters	Middle of the bands; furnished accommodation or allowance, annual ticket, 30 to 45 days' leave, end-of-service; recruitment in drives through approved agencies	All cities and regions
Military and security-forces hospitals	Top of the bands, strong benefits, selective hiring	Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Khamis Mushait
University and tertiary hospitals (for example King Fahad Medical City, King Faisal Specialist Hospital, King Abdulaziz University Hospital)	Top of the bands for specialised nurses; research and teaching environments	Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam
Oil-sector medical services	Among the best packages in the Kingdom, with family housing in compounds; limited openings	Dhahran, Al-Ahsa, Ras Tanura
Large private hospital groups	Lower to middle of the bands, faster hiring, accommodation or allowance common	Jeddah and Riyadh especially
Polyclinics, day surgery and home care	Lower half of the bands; regular hours	All cities

What the allowances add

• Housing: furnished shared accommodation or an allowance of SAR 1,000 to 2,500 a month, included in or on top of the figures above depending on the employer.
• Transport: hospital buses or SAR 300 to 600 a month.
• Annual ticket, medical cover, 30 to 45 days' leave and end-of-service gratuity of half a month per year for the first five years, then a full month.
• Shift and specialty allowances in ICU, ER and OR, plus overtime in busy units.

Model a specific offer, with experience and sector, in the salary calculator.

Cost of living and savings

Item	Riyadh	Jeddah	Dammam / Khobar
Shared room or staff housing	SAR 700 to 1,500 (often provided)	SAR 600 to 1,300	SAR 600 to 1,400
Food, phone, transport	SAR 1,000 to 1,500	SAR 900 to 1,400	SAR 900 to 1,400
Typical monthly remittance on SAR 6,500 with housing provided	SAR 4,500 to 5,000	SAR 4,300 to 4,800	SAR 4,700 to 5,200

A nurse on SAR 6,500 with accommodation typically sends home SAR 4,500 to 5,000 a month, about INR 105,000 to 117,000 or PHP 68,000 to 76,000. Riyadh is the most expensive city but also pays the most; the Eastern Province gives the best net position when housing is in a compound. The wider comparison is in cost of living and savings and nurse salary in Saudi Arabia by specialty.

How to earn at the top of the band

• Specialise: ICU, ER, OR, NICU, dialysis and oncology nurses earn 20 to 35% more and are classified faster.
• Hold a BSc and SCFHS classification before you apply; government and tertiary hospitals shortlist classified candidates first.
• Target military, university and oil-sector hospitals if your profile fits, even though hiring is slower.
• Negotiate housing and grade, which move more easily than basic salary.

Next steps

Check your title with the eligibility check, prepare with the Registered Nurse bank for the SNLE, and join the Saudi Arabia talent pool with your preferred city so hospitals can request your profile. The job route is in how to get a nursing job in Saudi Arabia.

Frequently asked questions

What is the salary of a nurse in Riyadh?

Roughly SAR 5,000 to 8,000 a month tax-free for a registered nurse with 3 to 5 years of experience, and SAR 6,500 to 10,500 for specialised nurses, usually with housing or an allowance.

Is nurse salary higher in Riyadh or Jeddah?

Riyadh pays slightly more and has more tertiary hospitals; Jeddah has a larger private sector with faster hiring and slightly lower pay.

Which hospitals pay nurses the most in Saudi Arabia?

Military, university and oil-sector hospitals, followed by Ministry of Health tertiary centres; private groups pay less but hire faster.

Is accommodation included for nurses in Saudi Arabia?

Government and most large hospitals provide furnished shared accommodation or an allowance; confirm which in the offer.

How much can a nurse save in Saudi Arabia?

Typically SAR 4,000 to 5,000 a month on a mid-band salary with housing provided.