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: $1,160 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,734 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,745 in Al-hawiyah versus $2,582 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,330 in Al-hawiyah versus $3,429 in Riyadh.

Living in Al-hawiyah costs roughly 33% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-hawiyah is 16% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 SAR 28.72

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 SAR 132

$64.8 SAR 243

-45.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-15.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SAR 7.03

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-6.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-16.08%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$0.85 SAR 3.19

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 SAR 4.29

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-8.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.61

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-17.14%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-22.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 SAR 28.18

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-22.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.10 SAR 34.18

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 SAR 45.27

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.14

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.63

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.73 SAR 6.51

1.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.42

$1.20 SAR 4.50

-1.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-6.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-35.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-16.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.08 SAR 11.58

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-60.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-13.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-24.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 SAR 27.35

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-3.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-2.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.68 SAR 130

$37.56 SAR 141

-7.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-22.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.89 SAR 7.09

-1.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.31 SAR 49.97

$13.13 SAR 49.32

1.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 SAR 2.57

$0.59 SAR 2.23

15.25%

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

$51.5K SAR 193.2K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

43.41%

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

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

7.61%

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

$96.1 SAR 361

$97.0 SAR 364

-0.91%

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

$35.07 SAR 132

$32.37 SAR 122

8.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 SAR 282

$68.6 SAR 258

9.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 SAR 277

$89.7 SAR 337

-17.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.53 SAR 137

$54.9 SAR 206

-33.51%

Cinema Ticket

$14.42 SAR 54.2

$13.29 SAR 49.89

8.50%

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

$307 SAR 1,154

$533 SAR 2,000

-42.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,609 SAR 28.6K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-32.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 SAR 214

$58.9 SAR 221

-3.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.7 SAR 236

$56.1 SAR 211

11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.3 SAR 358

$106 SAR 398

-10.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 SAR 287

$104 SAR 392

-26.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 SAR 2,174

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-50.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 SAR 1,241

$830 SAR 3,117

-60.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 SAR 2,963

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-64.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 SAR 2,237

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-51.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,128 SAR 7,994

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-27.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,547 SAR 5,811

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Al-hawiyah: September 7, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $579 in Al-hawiyah and $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Al-hawiyah vs $65.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $240 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,160 vs $1,734 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,739 in Al-hawiyah and $2,601 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: $579 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,174 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 $35.00 versus $65.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,160 per month in Al-hawiyah versus $1,734 in Riyadh – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,160 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,734 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 50% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.