Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,158 in Ar-rass versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,781 in Ar-rass versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,404 in Ar-rass versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 34% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rass is 13% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-12.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.30 SAR 170

$52.6 SAR 198

-13.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.25

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-1.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-3.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$3.71 SAR 13.95

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-7.02%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.76

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-5.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.61 SAR 6.05

49.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-20.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.69

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-36.29%

Eggs

$3.61 SAR 13.54

$2.63 SAR 9.88

37.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$8.19 SAR 30.75

-14.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 SAR 28.21

$9.89 SAR 37.14

-24.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 SAR 48.15

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.46

$2.23 SAR 8.36

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.60 SAR 5.99

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-0.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-15.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.41

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-60.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-4.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-9.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 SAR 23.85

$7.37 SAR 27.68

-13.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.46 SAR 152

$36.91 SAR 139

9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$3.25 SAR 12.22

-17.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$13.41 SAR 50.4

-1.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-1.59%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-24.97%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-3.95%

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

$104 SAR 389

$103 SAR 387

0.46%

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

$33.38 SAR 125

$34.99 SAR 131

-4.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 SAR 277

$75.5 SAR 284

-2.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.82 SAR 165

$108 SAR 404

-59.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 SAR 135

$59.7 SAR 224

-39.57%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SAR 59.0

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-3.20%

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

$358 SAR 1,343

$457 SAR 1,714

-21.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,014 SAR 26.3K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.03 SAR 79.0

$59.6 SAR 224

-64.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$63.5 SAR 238

-3.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$108 SAR 407

-26.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 SAR 312

$99.0 SAR 372

-15.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,672

$1,092 SAR 4,102

-59.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,453

$833 SAR 3,128

-53.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,458

$2,008 SAR 7,540

-80.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 SAR 2,324

$1,130 SAR 4,243

-45.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,547 SAR 9,564

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-13.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,491 SAR 5,598

$1,965 SAR 7,379

-24.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,706 SAR 6,407

$2,099 SAR 7,883

-18.73%

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 Ar-rass: July 28, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ar-rass and $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Ar-rass vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $222 per month, with Ar-rass 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

Ar-rass vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass and Riyadh differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,158 vs $1,753 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Riyadh. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $445 in Ar-rass versus $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $358 in Ar-rass versus $457 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,158 in Ar-rass versus $1,753 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass 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, Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.