Armed conflict is a prevalent global issue that affects both the socioeconomic aspects of society and has profound psychological consequences for those directly involved. This cross-sectional comparative study explored the impact of armed conflict on the self-esteem of nursing students in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. In total, 308 nursing students provided data. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was used to evaluate nursing students’ self-esteem. The findings demonstrated that nursing students who were exposed to armed conflict had lower self-esteem than those who were not. However, based on sex, marital status, and age, no statistically significant differences were observed in the nursing students’ self-esteem. The current findings indicate that nursing students exposed to armed conflict have low self-esteem. Interventions providing mental health support are essential for improving their self-esteem. Further research should explore other factors that could impact the self-esteem of nursing students.