Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,042 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,739 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in Al Hufuf vs $2,521 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,187 per month in Al Hufuf vs $3,304 in Riyadh, rent included.

Al Hufuf is about 40% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Al Hufuf sits 22% below the global median, while Riyadh is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.64 SAR 183

$53.0 SAR 199

-8.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SAR 29.58

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-2.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.71 SAR 6.41

3.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-26.01%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.02

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-2.20%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.71 SAR 2.66

-9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.83

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-24.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.81

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-20.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-3.83%

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-27.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 SAR 20.98

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.58

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-34.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-29.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-25.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.53 SAR 5.73

-26.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-27.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-31.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.53 SAR 1.99

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-64.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.71 SAR 6.42

0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-52.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-17.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.61 SAR 149

$36.73 SAR 138

7.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-17.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.85 SAR 6.95

1.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.35

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.4K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

3.39%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

0.08%

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

$80.8 SAR 303

$104 SAR 391

-22.48%

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

$31.12 SAR 117

$34.25 SAR 129

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 SAR 288

$77.0 SAR 289

-0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 SAR 534

$105 SAR 394

35.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.20 SAR 125

$58.3 SAR 219

-43.04%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 SAR 49.09

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-19.11%

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

$295 SAR 1,108

$457 SAR 1,716

-35.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,132 SAR 15.5K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-57.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.44 SAR 46.67

$59.5 SAR 223

-79.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.13 SAR 60.5

$64.1 SAR 241

-74.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.33 SAR 155

$107 SAR 400

-61.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 SAR 127

$100 SAR 376

-66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 SAR 1,331

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-66.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 SAR 997

$841 SAR 3,158

-68.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 SAR 2,735

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-64.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,512

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-63.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,353 SAR 8,830

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-23.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 SAR 4,937

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-31.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,935 SAR 7,263

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-14.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

5.31

-52.92%

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

Last update for Al Hufuf: June 2, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Al Hufuf versus $1,072 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 16% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Hufuf versus $53.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $226 – making Al Hufuf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Hufuf vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,563 per month in Al Hufuf and $2,608 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hufuf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Hufuf and $53.0 in Riyadh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,042 in Al Hufuf and $1,739 in Riyadh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hufuf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hufuf. 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.