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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Abha vs $1,753 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,912 per month in Abha vs $2,529 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Abha vs $3,305 in Riyadh, rent included.

Abha is about 35% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Abha sits 15% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 SAR 19.84

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-32.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SAR 202

$52.6 SAR 198

2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.34

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-4.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-37.27%

Cappuccino

$3.06 SAR 11.48

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-23.31%

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

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-19.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 SAR 0.79

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-32.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.61 SAR 6.05

18.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.80

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 SAR 7.36

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-17.30%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.63 SAR 9.87

13.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.76 SAR 21.61

$8.19 SAR 30.74

-29.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 SAR 32.38

$9.89 SAR 37.13

-12.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.93 SAR 63.6

$14.47 SAR 54.3

17.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.23 SAR 8.36

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-4.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-18.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.60 SAR 5.99

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$1.30 SAR 4.86

4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.56 SAR 2.10

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.49 SAR 16.87

$8.05 SAR 30.21

-44.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-10.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-37.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 SAR 34.53

$7.37 SAR 27.67

24.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-26.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$36.91 SAR 139

6.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$3.25 SAR 12.22

-16.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.91 SAR 7.16

42.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.29 SAR 49.88

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.63 SAR 2.35

1.59%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-31.17%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-0.12%

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

$81.8 SAR 307

$103 SAR 387

-20.62%

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

$36.74 SAR 138

$34.99 SAR 131

5.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 SAR 207

$75.5 SAR 283

-27.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 SAR 453

$108 SAR 404

12.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.01 SAR 101

$59.7 SAR 224

-54.73%

Cinema Ticket

$17.89 SAR 67.2

$16.23 SAR 60.9

10.23%

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

$236 SAR 885

$457 SAR 1,714

-48.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,226 SAR 19.6K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-44.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.74 SAR 145

$59.6 SAR 224

-35.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 SAR 253

$63.5 SAR 238

6.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$177 SAR 666

$108 SAR 406

63.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 SAR 339

$99.0 SAR 372

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,354

$1,092 SAR 4,101

-66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 SAR 1,002

$833 SAR 3,127

-67.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 SAR 2,084

$2,008 SAR 7,538

-72.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,405

$1,130 SAR 4,242

-43.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$930 SAR 3,490

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-68.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,312 SAR 4,924

$1,965 SAR 7,378

-33.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,233 SAR 8,382

$2,099 SAR 7,881

6.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Abha versus $1,092 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 6% 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 $54.0 in Abha versus $53.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Abha vs $222 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 54% 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 $1,705 per month in Abha and $2,629 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 8% 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 $1,137, than in Riyadh at $1,753. 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 $1,137 versus $1,753 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.