Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,134 per month in Abha vs $1,776 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,921 per month in Abha vs $2,477 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,709 per month in Abha vs $3,177 in Riyadh, rent included.

Abha is about 36% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Abha sits 16% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.68

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$52.5 SAR 197

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$8.07 SAR 30.29

-1.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.70 SAR 6.40

0.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-38.67%

Cappuccino

$3.11 SAR 11.67

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-22.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.70 SAR 2.64

-15.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.63 SAR 6.12

13.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.80

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-63.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$2.43 SAR 9.10

-15.23%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.66 SAR 9.96

9.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.81 SAR 21.80

$8.60 SAR 32.27

-32.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 SAR 33.14

$10.00 SAR 37.53

-11.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.66 SAR 62.5

$14.60 SAR 54.8

14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-20.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-18.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.55 SAR 5.81

9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.24 SAR 4.64

13.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.58

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-16.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-37.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.55 SAR 2.07

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.36 SAR 16.38

$7.76 SAR 29.11

-43.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-12.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$2.31 SAR 8.65

-36.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.44 SAR 35.41

$7.13 SAR 26.74

32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-26.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$38.03 SAR 143

6.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

$3.24 SAR 12.16

-15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$1.83 SAR 6.86

48.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.82

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-2.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.6K SAR 92.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-29.87%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-0.38%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.2 SAR 309

$103 SAR 385

-19.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.47 SAR 141

$34.54 SAR 130

8.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.0 SAR 202

$75.3 SAR 283

-28.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 SAR 453

$105 SAR 395

14.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.13 SAR 102

$58.2 SAR 218

-53.38%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 SAR 67.6

$15.79 SAR 59.3

14.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$238 SAR 892

$459 SAR 1,723

-48.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,340 SAR 20.0K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-43.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.22 SAR 143

$60.2 SAR 226

-36.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.4 SAR 249

$64.2 SAR 241

3.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$179 SAR 670

$106 SAR 399

67.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 SAR 333

$100 SAR 376

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 SAR 1,322

$1,083 SAR 4,063

-67.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 SAR 994

$849 SAR 3,185

-68.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$2,040 SAR 7,654

-72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 SAR 2,390

$1,126 SAR 4,227

-43.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 SAR 9,016

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

-23.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,924

$1,962 SAR 7,362

-33.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,218 SAR 8,322

$2,263 SAR 8,490

-1.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

5.31

6.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Abha: June 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Abha versus $1,083 in Riyadh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Abha versus $52.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Abha vs $225 in Riyadh – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Abha vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 57% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,701 per month in Abha and $2,665 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Riyadh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Abha and $52.0 in Riyadh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,134, than in Riyadh at $1,776. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,134 versus $1,776 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.