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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,046 per month in Abha vs $1,734 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,746 per month in Abha vs $2,582 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,446 per month in Abha vs $3,429 in Riyadh, rent included.

Abha is about 40% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Abha sits 24% below the global median, while Riyadh is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 SAR 20.20

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-30.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.2 SAR 192

$64.8 SAR 243

-21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 SAR 27.33

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-17.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-18.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-56.57%

Cappuccino

$3.09 SAR 11.62

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-26.95%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.85 SAR 3.19

-25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-31.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-49.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-18.78%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.99

$3.19 SAR 11.98

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.47 SAR 16.80

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-53.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.60 SAR 69.8

$15.17 SAR 57.0

22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-20.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.49

$1.95 SAR 7.31

2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-34.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-6.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.20 SAR 4.50

80.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-11.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-79.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-13.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.37 SAR 16.41

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-43.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-33.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-39.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 SAR 34.28

$7.51 SAR 28.19

21.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-26.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.27 SAR 132

$37.56 SAR 141

-6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-8.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SAR 10.12

$1.89 SAR 7.09

42.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.00 SAR 48.82

$13.13 SAR 49.32

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$45.1K SAR 169.2K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

25.59%

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

$19.5K SAR 73.1K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-13.08%

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

$88.1 SAR 331

$97.0 SAR 364

-9.12%

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

$37.07 SAR 139

$32.37 SAR 122

14.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 SAR 293

$68.6 SAR 258

13.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.3 SAR 339

$89.7 SAR 337

0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.44 SAR 167

$54.9 SAR 206

-19.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.08 SAR 60.4

$13.29 SAR 49.89

20.99%

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

$206 SAR 774

$533 SAR 2,000

-61.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,231 SAR 15.9K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-62.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.71 SAR 115

$58.9 SAR 221

-47.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.7 SAR 269

$56.1 SAR 211

27.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 SAR 361

$106 SAR 398

-9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 SAR 251

$104 SAR 392

-35.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 SAR 1,150

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-73.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 SAR 945

$830 SAR 3,117

-69.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 SAR 2,016

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-75.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 SAR 2,113

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-54.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$945 SAR 3,549

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-67.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 SAR 4,940

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-32.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,238 SAR 8,405

$2,052 SAR 7,705

9.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

8.30%

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

Last update for Abha: September 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Abha versus $1,174 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 9% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Abha versus $65.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $240 – making Abha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 66% 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 $1,570 per month in Abha and $2,601 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 18% 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 $51.0 in Abha and $65.0 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 $1,046, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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 $1,046 versus $1,734 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.