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: $1,193 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Al-hawiyah versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Al-hawiyah costs roughly 32% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-hawiyah is 10% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.06 SAR 169

$52.6 SAR 198

-14.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-1.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-1.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-18.64%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.88

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-7.27%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.80

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.31 SAR 1.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.61 SAR 6.05

1.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-28.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.24

$8.19 SAR 30.74

-14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.54

$9.89 SAR 37.13

-23.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 SAR 49.74

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.23 SAR 8.36

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$1.60 SAR 5.99

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-0.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-12.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.48

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-13.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$8.05 SAR 30.21

-64.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-4.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-13.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 SAR 26.51

$7.37 SAR 27.67

-4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.55 SAR 148

$36.91 SAR 139

7.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$3.25 SAR 12.22

-19.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-2.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.09 SAR 49.15

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-2.39%

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)

$27.1K SAR 101.7K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-23.13%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-3.22%

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

$107 SAR 401

$103 SAR 387

3.72%

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

$33.33 SAR 125

$34.99 SAR 131

-4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 SAR 270

$75.5 SAR 283

-4.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.8 SAR 330

$108 SAR 404

-18.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 SAR 134

$59.7 SAR 224

-40.31%

Cinema Ticket

$15.60 SAR 58.6

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-3.88%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$457 SAR 1,714

-22.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,108 SAR 26.7K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-24.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$59.6 SAR 224

-0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 226

$63.5 SAR 238

-5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 SAR 299

$108 SAR 406

-26.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$99.0 SAR 372

-18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 SAR 1,681

$1,092 SAR 4,101

-59.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$833 SAR 3,127

-54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,134

$2,008 SAR 7,538

-58.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SAR 2,333

$1,130 SAR 4,242

-45.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 SAR 9,258

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-16.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,283 SAR 4,816

$1,965 SAR 7,378

-34.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,881

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Al-hawiyah and $1,092 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 $198 vs $222 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,193 vs $1,753 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,790 in Al-hawiyah and $2,629 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: $448 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,092 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 $1,193 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,753 in Riyadh – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,193 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,753 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 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.