SAUDI ARABIA
Our salary benchmarking
This report includes detailed scaled salary information for service industry specific full-time professional positions/areas in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The data for each position is broken down, whenever possible, in three category:
Band A → Ideal entry-level salary offer for advancing into a new role, positioned at the lower end of the market pay standard.
The candidate has minimal experience in the role and is still building relevant skills
Band B → Salary offer positioned at the 50th percentile, aligning with the market median range
The candidate possesses a moderate level of experience and demonstrates most of the essential skills.
Band C → Upper range of salary offers for attracting or retaining talent
Greater experience, advanced skills, in-depth institutional/business knowledge, and a track record of exceeding responsibilities.
Reflecting the market’s most sought-after resource and the true value of top talent based on key market factors and dynamics
It is not intended as a nominative description of what salaries ought to be but is aimed at presenting the current salaries in businesses in line with the client’s business within the specific countries or locations
The data gathered in these reports will change over time and should not be considered as fixed information.
Often, companies aims to pay at or above the median to remain competitive, but some companies may choose to lead or lag the market depending on their strategy.
Benefits
Employee benefits in Saudi Arabia are regulated by the Saudi Labor Law. They are also influenced by cultural expectations and company policies may vary.
Annual leave
Employees in Saudi Arabia are entitled to a minimum of 21 days of annual paid leave, which increases to 30 days (statutory limit) after five years of service with the same employer.
Public holidays
Employees typically receive paid leave for official public holidays, including Eid Al-Fitr (around 3-4 days), Eid Al-Adha (around 3-4 days), and Saudi National Day.
Sick leave
Saudi employees are entitled to 120 days of paid sick leave per year, with payment structured as follows: full pay for the first 30 days, 75% for the next 60 days, and unpaid leave for the remaining 30 days if required.
Maternity/paternity leave
Maternity leave: female employees are entitled to 10 weeks of paid maternity leave, typically taken four weeks before and six weeks after delivery. Employers are required to pay full wages for this period.
Paternity leave: fathers generally receive three days of paid paternity leave.
Medical Insurance
Health insurance is mandatory for all employees in the private sector. Employers are responsible for covering medical insurance for both the employees and their immediate family members.
End-of-service gratuity
Employees are eligible for an end-of-service gratuity upon the termination of their employment. This is based on the duration of their employment and
Housing and transportation allowances
Many employers provide allowances for housing and transportation as part of the employee's overall compensation package, though these are not legally required.
Housing: generally, range from 15% to 25% of an employee's basic salary. This varies based on the company, industry, and employee's level or position within the organisation.
Transportation: typically range from 5% to 10% of the employee's basic salary. Companies may also provide company vehicles, particularly for employees in managerial or sales roles.
Eligibility: many companies, especially in the private sector, offer housing allowances to both local and expatriate employees. Some companies, particularly multinational organisations or those based in major cities (Riyadh, Jeddah…), may also offer company-owned or leased housing.
Work-life balance and reduced work hours
During Ramadan, Muslim employees work six hours per day instead of the standard eight. Employers may extend this shorter workday policy to non-Muslim employees.
Training and development
Companies are increasingly investing in training and development, especially for Saudi nationals, due to Saudisation policies aimed at increasing local workforce participation.
Flexible working arrangements
Although not yet widespread, some companies in Saudi Arabia are beginning to offer flexible work arrangements, such as remote work options, especially in sectors adapting to modern workplace trends.
Additional perks for expatriates
Relocation costs: many companies assist expatriates with relocation expenses,
BONUSES
Bonuses & packages
Annual performance bonuses
Many employers offer annual bonuses based on individual, team, or company performance. These bonuses typically range from 10% to 30%, and sometimes up to 40% for the Executive/C-Suite levels of annual salary.
Retention bonuses
In competitive sectors, retention bonuses are given to incentivize key talent to stay, particularly when there’s a high demand for specialized skills.
Saudi Nationalisation Programme (Nitaqat)
To encourage hiring Saudi nationals, some companies offer additional bonuses or incentives for local employees.
Ramadan / Eid bonuses
Some organizations provide seasonal bonuses, such as during Ramadan or Eid, as a cultural benefit. These are more common in government or state-owned enterprises.
Project-based or spot bonuses
In project-driven sectors, bonuses are sometimes awarded for completing projects on time or achieving specific goals.
Profit-sharing
A few companies, particularly in the private sector, offer profit-sharing as a bonus tied to the company’s financial performance, aligning employee
PACKAGES
Shipping and moving assistance
Employers often cover the cost of shipping household goods, including furniture, appliances, and personal belongings, to Saudi Arabia.
Some packages include moving services that help employees set up in their new homes.
Settling-in allowance
A one-time settling-in allowance may be provided to cover initial expenses like furniture, appliances, or other essentials.
Schooling for dependents
Education is a critical part of expat packages for those with children. Employers often cover a portion of school fees or provide access to international schools.
Visa and residency assistance
Employers generally handle and cover visa processing, residency permits (Iqama), and associated fees, simplifying the relocation for the employee.
Tax assistance
While there is no income tax in Saudi Arabia, some companies offer tax assistance if the employee’s home country requires them to report foreign income.
Cultural orientation and language training
To help expatriates adjust, some companies provide cultural orientation
SENIOR MANAGEMENT
& PITCH TEAMS
HEAD OFFICE / SUPPORT
Methodology
This exercise reflects the actual salaries being paid across Saudi Arabia to a sample of businesses related to and operating withing the service industry sector, from restaurants to hotels, facilities management, foodservice, events, venues, FMCG, leisure, entertainment and head office/support positions.
It is intended to give the most honest and accurate account of compensation level in the required fields and specific areas.
It is not intended as a nominative description of what salaries ought to be but is aimed at presenting the current salaries across the service industry.
This salary benchmarking provides the current market value of specific positions in Saudi Arabia. Competitors’ exact figures aren’t’ known due to the privacy and confidentiality of this data. However, this data represents the closest and most reflective salary compensations for each mentioned position collected through COREcruitment’s own database or clients and candidates.
The data gathered in these reports will change over time and should not be considered as fixed information.
This methodology ensures that the benchmarking exercise is structured, data-driven, and aligned with business needs, providing actionable insights for fair and competitive compensation decisions
As a leading national and international recruitment agency, COREcruitment have access to national and international job boards’ targeted analytics (factual direct market comparison
COREcruitment’s own database of over 550,000 contacts (current & previous salary banding)
19+ years of recruitment expertise with a team of 52 field specialist employees: Recruitment Consultants, Senior
