Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Saudi Arabia Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Saudi Arabia

Name: Saudi Arabia
Address: SA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Australia vs $1,158 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,678 per month in Australia vs $1,763 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,808 per month in Australia vs $2,368 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 120% higher than in Saudi Arabia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 85% above the global median, while Saudi Arabia is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,218–$3,352) than in Saudi Arabia ($661–$1,734), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.74 A$24.73

$6.77 SAR 25.44

162.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.9 A$121

$39.89 SAR 150

117.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 A$15.82

$7.77 SAR 29.17

46.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Cappuccino

$3.99 A$5.57

$3.65 SAR 13.71

9.32%

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

$2.97 A$4.14

$0.75 SAR 2.82

296.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 A$3.50

$0.25 SAR 0.93

904.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.75 A$10.80

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 A$11.25

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.46

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 A$4.00

$1.09 SAR 4.10

163.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 A$3.31

$2.17 SAR 8.14

9.22%

Eggs

$5.11 A$7.13

$2.61 SAR 9.79

95.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.13 A$14.13

$7.55 SAR 28.35

34.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.57 A$13.35

$8.05 SAR 30.24

18.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.59 A$21.74

$13.44 SAR 50.5

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 A$5.34

$2.24 SAR 8.41

70.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 A$4.36

$1.76 SAR 6.60

77.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 A$4.67

$1.69 SAR 6.35

98.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 A$6.80

$1.68 SAR 6.32

190.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.07

$1.35 SAR 5.07

116.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.29

$1.34 SAR 5.02

76.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 A$3.43

$1.21 SAR 4.55

103.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 A$2.38

$0.58 SAR 2.18

193.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$39.46 A$55.0

$7.26 SAR 27.26

443.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.69 A$20.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.07 A$7.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 A$7.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 A$3.96

$1.09 SAR 4.09

160.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.3 A$136

$37.33 SAR 140

160.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 A$4.96

$2.73 SAR 10.24

30.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 A$2.34

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-36.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.94 A$57.1

$13.10 SAR 49.20

212.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 A$1.88

$0.60 SAR 2.25

125.00%

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

$29.1K A$40.5K

$66.1K SAR 248.2K

-56.02%

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

$29.5K A$41.1K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

38.07%

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

$207 A$289

$97.4 SAR 366

113.07%

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

$29.34 A$40.91

$31.85 SAR 120

-7.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 A$83.7

$68.4 SAR 257

-12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.3 A$82.6

$85.3 SAR 320

-30.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.28 A$28.27

$40.65 SAR 153

-50.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 A$22.36

$14.22 SAR 53.4

12.80%

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

$2,194 A$3,059

$427 SAR 1,602

414.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K A$26.0K

$8,940 SAR 33.6K

108.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 A$113

$45.81 SAR 172

77.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 A$79.3

$55.4 SAR 208

2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 A$165

$88.7 SAR 333

33.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 A$176

$86.9 SAR 326

45.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 A$2,282

$601 SAR 2,257

172.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,306 A$1,821

$455 SAR 1,708

187.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 A$3,609

$967 SAR 3,632

167.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 A$2,737

$659 SAR 2,475

197.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,394 A$11.7K

$2,334 SAR 8,767

259.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,140 A$8,560

$1,379 SAR 5,178

345.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,067 A$5,670

$1,911 SAR 7,176

112.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.93

5.41

9.61%

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

Last update for Australia: September 6, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,426 in Australia vs $572 in Saudi Arabia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,845 in Canberra and $1,174 in Riyadh.

Average salary: $3,945 in Australia vs $1,952 in Saudi Arabia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 149% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 113% more in Australia.

Public transport is 142% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 102% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saudi Arabia.

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

Australia vs Saudi Arabia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saudi Arabia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 91% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the overall 91% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Saudi Arabia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Saudi Arabia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.