Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-hawiyah and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,233 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,790 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,887 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,519 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,541 in Al-hawiyah versus $3,249 in Riyadh.

Living in Al-hawiyah costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-hawiyah is 8% below, Riyadh is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.29

$8.11 SAR 30.41

-16.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.68 SAR 168

$52.9 SAR 198

-15.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 SAR 30.51

$8.08 SAR 30.32

0.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-1.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$2.23 SAR 8.35

-17.94%

Cappuccino

$3.72 SAR 13.95

$4.13 SAR 15.48

-9.93%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$0.72 SAR 2.72

8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.62 SAR 6.06

0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.32 SAR 8.71

2.16%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.39

$2.69 SAR 10.07

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.89

$8.41 SAR 31.54

-17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.37 SAR 27.64

$10.11 SAR 37.93

-27.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 SAR 49.59

$14.67 SAR 55.0

-9.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.22 SAR 8.34

-1.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-3.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.06

$1.58 SAR 5.94

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.24 SAR 4.67

2.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-12.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.55 SAR 2.08

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 SAR 12.05

$8.15 SAR 30.58

-60.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.81 SAR 6.78

-5.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-12.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 SAR 26.19

$7.52 SAR 28.22

-7.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.05 SAR 3.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$37.48 SAR 141

8.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-17.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.08

$1.84 SAR 6.92

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 48.98

$13.10 SAR 49.13

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.59 SAR 2.20

10.17%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

-23.49%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

-7.82%

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

$107 SAR 401

$104 SAR 390

2.69%

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

$34.15 SAR 128

$34.30 SAR 129

-0.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 SAR 277

$76.4 SAR 287

-3.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$106 SAR 397

-18.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$59.8 SAR 224

-40.18%

Cinema Ticket

$15.46 SAR 58.0

$15.74 SAR 59.0

-1.78%

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

$354 SAR 1,328

$448 SAR 1,681

-21.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,084 SAR 26.6K

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

-27.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$60.2 SAR 226

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$65.1 SAR 244

-5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 SAR 296

$107 SAR 402

-26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.4 SAR 305

$99.7 SAR 374

-18.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,626

$1,103 SAR 4,135

-60.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,438

$841 SAR 3,155

-54.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 SAR 3,215

$2,086 SAR 7,821

-58.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 SAR 2,302

$1,098 SAR 4,117

-44.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,659 SAR 9,970

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

-7.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,489 SAR 5,585

$1,947 SAR 7,301

-23.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,436 SAR 9,136

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Al-hawiyah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Al-hawiyah and $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $224 per month, with Al-hawiyah cheaper across the board.

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

Al-hawiyah vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-hawiyah and Riyadh differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,233 vs $1,790 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Al-hawiyah and $2,685 in Riyadh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $434 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-hawiyah – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $53.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,790 in Riyadh – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,233 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,790 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-hawiyah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Al-hawiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al-hawiyah and Riyadh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al-hawiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.