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 $1,037 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,612 per month in Al Hufuf vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Al Hufuf vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Al Hufuf is about 41% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Al Hufuf sits 22% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-16.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.02 SAR 184

$53.9 SAR 202

-8.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-1.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

$1.69 SAR 6.33

5.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-32.47%

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.88

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-0.50%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-27.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.36 SAR 8.85

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-26.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.71 SAR 21.46

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-32.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 SAR 23.82

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 SAR 52.1

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-26.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-27.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-27.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-19.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-29.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-8.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.52 SAR 1.94

-1.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-62.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.79 SAR 6.70

0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-52.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 SAR 24.24

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-12.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$1.08 SAR 4.07

1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.69 SAR 153

$36.88 SAR 138

10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-19.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.84 SAR 6.93

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.23

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

0.62%

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

$23.3K SAR 87.4K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-0.74%

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

$80.2 SAR 301

$106 SAR 398

-24.25%

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

$31.16 SAR 117

$35.14 SAR 132

-11.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 SAR 284

$76.9 SAR 289

-1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 SAR 538

$106 SAR 399

34.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.35 SAR 125

$59.9 SAR 225

-44.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 SAR 49.65

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-18.50%

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

$297 SAR 1,116

$465 SAR 1,747

-36.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,069 SAR 15.3K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-57.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.64 SAR 47.45

$58.3 SAR 219

-78.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.98 SAR 60.0

$65.1 SAR 244

-75.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.91 SAR 154

$110 SAR 413

-62.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.46 SAR 126

$101 SAR 378

-66.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 SAR 1,339

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-67.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 SAR 1,016

$843 SAR 3,164

-67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 SAR 2,709

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-64.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 SAR 1,504

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-64.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 SAR 7,565

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-30.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 SAR 5,214

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-28.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,976 SAR 7,421

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-2.19%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $357 in Al Hufuf versus $1,110 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 2% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $225 – 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 69%, 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 $1,556 per month in Al Hufuf and $2,637 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 $54.0 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 $1,037 in Al Hufuf and $1,758 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 $1,037, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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.