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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,141 per month in Abha vs $1,790 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,892 per month in Abha vs $2,519 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Abha vs $3,249 in Riyadh, rent included.

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

Abha sits 15% below the global median, while Riyadh is 34% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 SAR 20.42

$8.11 SAR 30.41

-32.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 SAR 201

$52.9 SAR 198

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 SAR 28.72

$8.08 SAR 30.32

-5.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-1.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$2.23 SAR 8.35

-38.57%

Cappuccino

$3.22 SAR 12.08

$4.13 SAR 15.48

-22.03%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.72 SAR 2.72

-11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.62 SAR 6.06

17.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-59.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$2.32 SAR 8.71

-13.36%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.69 SAR 10.07

10.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 SAR 22.15

$8.41 SAR 31.54

-29.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 SAR 31.57

$10.11 SAR 37.93

-16.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.17 SAR 64.4

$14.67 SAR 55.0

17.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$2.22 SAR 8.34

-18.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.67 SAR 6.26

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.35

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-20.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.58 SAR 5.94

5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.24 SAR 4.67

13.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-34.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

$8.15 SAR 30.58

-64.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.81 SAR 6.78

-16.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-37.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 SAR 35.85

$7.52 SAR 28.22

27.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 SAR 2.96

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-24.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 SAR 147

$37.48 SAR 141

4.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 SAR 9.69

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-21.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$1.84 SAR 6.92

42.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SAR 50.1

$13.10 SAR 49.13

2.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.59 SAR 2.20

3.39%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

-30.56%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

-6.05%

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

$81.9 SAR 307

$104 SAR 390

-21.28%

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

$37.31 SAR 140

$34.30 SAR 129

8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.6 SAR 205

$76.4 SAR 287

-28.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 456

$106 SAR 397

14.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.62 SAR 99.8

$59.8 SAR 224

-55.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.01 SAR 67.6

$15.74 SAR 59.0

14.42%

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

$233 SAR 874

$448 SAR 1,681

-48.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

-46.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.24 SAR 143

$60.2 SAR 226

-36.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.8 SAR 250

$65.1 SAR 244

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 SAR 669

$107 SAR 402

66.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 SAR 335

$99.7 SAR 374

-10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$1,103 SAR 4,135

-68.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 SAR 985

$841 SAR 3,155

-68.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$559 SAR 2,095

$2,086 SAR 7,821

-73.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,360

$1,098 SAR 4,117

-42.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,949

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

-63.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$611 SAR 2,293

$1,947 SAR 7,301

-68.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,393 SAR 8,972

$2,436 SAR 9,136

-1.80%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $349 in Abha versus $1,103 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 $54.0 in Abha versus $53.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Abha vs $224 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 $1,711 per month in Abha and $2,685 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 9% 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 $54.0 in Abha and $53.0 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 $1,141, than in Riyadh at $1,790. 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 $1,141 versus $1,790 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.