In Saudi Arabia, personal income is not taxed for expatriates, your gross salary is your take-home pay. An AI / ML Engineer earning the median SAR20K/mo takes home SAR 240,000/year (SAR 20,000/month) in full. On top of that, end-of-service benefit (EOSB) builds separately, worth approximately SAR 35,000 by year 5.
2026 median salary for each level in Saudi Arabia, and what it leaves after tax (none for expatriates). No personal income tax on salaries (expatriate). End-of-service benefit (EOSB) accrues separately, see below.
| Level | Gross / year | Take-home / year | Per month | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | SAR 156,000 | SAR 156,000SAR 13,000/mo | SAR 13,000 | 0.0% |
| Mid-levelHeadline median | SAR 240,000 | SAR 240,000SAR 20,000/mo | SAR 20,000 | 0.0% |
| Senior | SAR 384,000 | SAR 384,000SAR 32,000/mo | SAR 32,000 | 0.0% |
| Lead / Principal | SAR 588,000 | SAR 588,000SAR 49,000/mo | SAR 49,000 | 0.0% |
With no income tax for expatriates, a promotion reaches take-home in full: the step from Senior to Lead / Principal adds SAR 204,000 a year, all of it kept.
For Mid-level roles, the middle half of AI / ML Engineer salaries in Saudi Arabia run from SAR 228,000 to SAR 252,000 a year, all of it take-home for expatriates.
The table above uses the AI / ML Engineer median. Enter your own gross salary below for a precise figure.
Annual take-home
SAR 240,000
Monthly take-home
SAR 20,000
Effective deduction rate
0.0%
What you're also earning: end-of-service benefit (EOSB)
Assumes a typical 70% basic-salary split on the AI / ML Engineer median. Employer-funded, paid as a lump sum on exit, not part of your monthly pay.
EOSB at 5 years
SAR 35,000
EOSB at 10 years
SAR 105,000
Permanent median
SAR 240,000
SAR 240,000 take-home
Contract median
SAR 24,000/month
≈ SAR 288,000 gross a year
At a median SAR 24,000/month, contract work grosses about SAR 288,000 a year over 12 months, 20% more than the SAR 240,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, end-of-service gratuity, and the gaps between contracts.
Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide rather than a like-for-like quote. See AI / ML Engineer contract rates and contractor take-home →
Yes, for expatriates. Saudi Arabia has no personal income tax on employment salaries for Saudi nationals or expatriates, so an AI / ML Engineer earning the median SAR20K/mo takes home the full SAR 240,000 per year (SAR 20,000 per month) as an expatriate. GOSI social insurance only applies to Saudi national employees.
An AI / ML Engineer earning the median salary of SAR20K/mo in Saudi Arabia takes home approximately SAR 240,000 per year (SAR 20,000 per month) as an expatriate, since gross salary equals net salary with no income tax deduction.
EOSB is a lump sum your employer owes on exit under Article 84 of Saudi Labor Law, based on basic salary and years of service: half a month's wage per year for the first 5 years, then a full month's wage per year after that, uncapped. Assuming a typical 70% basic-salary split on the SAR20K/mo median, an AI / ML Engineer would build up approximately SAR 35,000 by year 5 and SAR 105,000 by year 10.
No. EOSB is an employer-funded benefit that accrues separately and is paid as a lump sum when you leave, it is not deducted from your monthly salary the way tax or social security is in other markets. Your monthly take-home stays equal to your gross salary throughout your employment (minus GOSI, for Saudi nationals only).
A senior AI / ML Engineer in Saudi Arabia earns a median SAR 384,000 a year and takes home approximately SAR 384,000 (SAR 32,000 per month) with no income tax deducted for expatriates.
A junior AI / ML Engineer in Saudi Arabia earns a median SAR 156,000 a year and takes home approximately SAR 156,000 (SAR 13,000 per month) with no income tax deducted for expatriates.
At a median SAR 24,000/month, contract work grosses about SAR 288,000 a year over 12 months, 20% more than the SAR 240,000 permanent median. That premium has to pay for what an employer would otherwise cover: paid holiday and sick days, end-of-service gratuity, and the gaps between contracts. Contract and permanent benchmarks come from separate samples, so treat the gap as a guide.
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