In Saudi Arabia, personal income is not taxed for expatriates, your gross salary is your take-home pay. A QA Automation Engineer earning the median SAR13K/mo takes home SAR 156,000/year (SAR 13,000/month) in full. On top of that, end-of-service benefit (EOSB) builds separately, worth approximately SAR 22,750 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 108,000 | SAR 108,000SAR 9,000/mo | SAR 9,000 | 0.0% |
| Mid-levelHeadline median | SAR 156,000 | SAR 156,000SAR 13,000/mo | SAR 13,000 | 0.0% |
| Senior | SAR 264,000 | SAR 264,000SAR 22,000/mo | SAR 22,000 | 0.0% |
| Lead / Principal | SAR 408,000 | SAR 408,000SAR 34,000/mo | SAR 34,000 | 0.0% |
With no income tax for expatriates, a promotion reaches take-home in full: the step from Senior to Lead / Principal adds SAR 144,000 a year, all of it kept.
For Mid-level roles, the middle half of QA Automation Engineer salaries in Saudi Arabia run from SAR 156,000 to SAR 168,000 a year, all of it take-home for expatriates.
The table above uses the QA Automation Engineer median. Enter your own gross salary below for a precise figure.
Annual take-home
SAR 156,000
Monthly take-home
SAR 13,000
Effective deduction rate
0.0%
What you're also earning: end-of-service benefit (EOSB)
Assumes a typical 70% basic-salary split on the QA Automation Engineer median. Employer-funded, paid as a lump sum on exit, not part of your monthly pay.
EOSB at 5 years
SAR 22,750
EOSB at 10 years
SAR 68,250
Permanent median
SAR 156,000
SAR 156,000 take-home
Contract median
SAR 17,000/month
≈ SAR 204,000 gross a year
At a median SAR 17,000/month, contract work grosses about SAR 204,000 a year over 12 months, 31% more than the SAR 156,000 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 QA Automation 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 a QA Automation Engineer earning the median SAR13K/mo takes home the full SAR 156,000 per year (SAR 13,000 per month) as an expatriate. GOSI social insurance only applies to Saudi national employees.
A QA Automation Engineer earning the median salary of SAR13K/mo in Saudi Arabia takes home approximately SAR 156,000 per year (SAR 13,000 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 SAR13K/mo median, a QA Automation Engineer would build up approximately SAR 22,750 by year 5 and SAR 68,250 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 QA Automation Engineer in Saudi Arabia earns a median SAR 264,000 a year and takes home approximately SAR 264,000 (SAR 22,000 per month) with no income tax deducted for expatriates.
A junior QA Automation Engineer in Saudi Arabia earns a median SAR 108,000 a year and takes home approximately SAR 108,000 (SAR 9,000 per month) with no income tax deducted for expatriates.
At a median SAR 17,000/month, contract work grosses about SAR 204,000 a year over 12 months, 31% more than the SAR 156,000 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.
QA Automation Engineer Salary Benchmarks
Full range, city comparisons, seniority bands
Check a job offer
See where an offer sits against the market range
QA Automation Engineer contractor rates
Compare permanent pay with current contract market rates
Remote vs Hybrid
Is the commute worth it?