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: $1,231 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,776 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,865 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,477 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,498 in Al-hawiyah versus $3,177 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 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.66

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-15.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.06 SAR 165

$52.5 SAR 197

-16.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.10

$8.07 SAR 30.29

-3.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.70 SAR 6.40

2.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-19.56%

Cappuccino

$3.59 SAR 13.47

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-10.47%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.70 SAR 2.64

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.29 SAR 1.08

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.63 SAR 6.12

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.43 SAR 9.10

-6.58%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.17

$2.66 SAR 9.96

-8.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 SAR 25.71

$8.60 SAR 32.27

-20.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.68

$10.00 SAR 37.53

-26.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.95

$14.60 SAR 54.8

-12.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-7.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-8.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.55 SAR 5.81

1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$1.24 SAR 4.64

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-9.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-15.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$7.76 SAR 29.11

-67.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.75 SAR 6.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.31 SAR 8.65

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 SAR 26.23

$7.13 SAR 26.74

-1.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.09 SAR 4.08

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.66 SAR 153

$38.03 SAR 143

6.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$3.24 SAR 12.16

-15.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.11

$1.83 SAR 6.86

3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.55

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-24.99%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.6K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-1.83%

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

$107 SAR 400

$103 SAR 385

4.04%

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

$33.14 SAR 124

$34.54 SAR 130

-4.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 SAR 271

$75.3 SAR 283

-4.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 SAR 324

$105 SAR 395

-17.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.07 SAR 132

$58.2 SAR 218

-39.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.65 SAR 58.7

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-0.89%

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

$349 SAR 1,311

$459 SAR 1,723

-23.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,102 SAR 26.7K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-24.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 SAR 221

$60.2 SAR 226

-2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 SAR 226

$64.2 SAR 241

-6.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 SAR 299

$106 SAR 399

-25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 310

$100 SAR 376

-17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,655

$1,083 SAR 4,063

-59.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$849 SAR 3,185

-54.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SAR 3,207

$2,040 SAR 7,654

-58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 SAR 2,298

$1,126 SAR 4,227

-45.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,356 SAR 8,840

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

-24.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 SAR 5,509

$1,962 SAR 7,362

-25.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Al-hawiyah and $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $52.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $225 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,231 vs $1,776 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Al-hawiyah and $2,665 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: $441 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,083 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 $44.00 versus $52.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,231 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,776 in Riyadh – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,231 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,776 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 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.