Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Buraydah and Riyadh

For one person, living is cheaper in Buraydah: $1,226 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Riyadh outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

60

Cost of Living Index in Buraydah
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Buraydah Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index

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Buraydah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,226

/mo nomad

Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Buraydah and in Riyadh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Buraydah and in Riyadh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,226 per month in Buraydah vs $1,738 in Riyadh, rent included.

Buraydah $1,226
Riyadh $1,738

A couple spends around $2,036 per month in Buraydah vs $2,587 in Riyadh, rent included.

Buraydah $2,036
Riyadh $2,587

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Buraydah vs $3,437 in Riyadh, rent included.

Buraydah $2,845
Riyadh $3,437

Buraydah is about 29% cheaper than Riyadh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Buraydah sits 10% below the global median, while Riyadh is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.15 SAR 49.35

$8.09 SAR 30.38

62.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$65.3 SAR 245

-39.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 SAR 29.99

$8.18 SAR 30.69

-2.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-12.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.97 SAR 11.16

-55.89%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.27

$4.30 SAR 16.14

-17.67%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.96

$0.85 SAR 3.18

-7.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.30 SAR 1.12

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.83 SAR 6.85

-8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-16.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.37 SAR 8.88

6.75%

Eggs

$2.89 SAR 10.83

$3.04 SAR 11.41

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 SAR 31.19

$10.77 SAR 40.41

-22.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.57 SAR 24.64

$9.38 SAR 35.18

-29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$14.98 SAR 56.2

-9.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.85 SAR 10.70

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.47 SAR 9.26

-29.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.71 SAR 6.44

2.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.18 SAR 4.43

18.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.28 SAR 4.82

1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.78 SAR 6.70

-41.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 SAR 2.52

$0.58 SAR 2.17

15.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$8.15 SAR 30.59

-77.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.54

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-18.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 SAR 9.68

$2.47 SAR 9.28

4.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.36

$7.85 SAR 29.46

-20.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.57 SAR 141

$38.07 SAR 143

-1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$3.13 SAR 11.75

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.91 SAR 7.16

41.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.75 SAR 62.9

$13.31 SAR 49.93

25.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.60 SAR 2.26

-1.67%

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

$42.2K SAR 158.4K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

61.16%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

3.30%

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

$69.9 SAR 262

$108 SAR 404

-34.99%

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

$31.54 SAR 118

$29.62 SAR 111

6.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$71.0 SAR 266

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$138 SAR 517

$83.0 SAR 312

65.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.66 SAR 134

$57.3 SAR 215

-37.73%

Cinema Ticket

$15.09 SAR 56.6

$13.31 SAR 49.96

13.37%

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

$269 SAR 1,010

$554 SAR 2,077

-51.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,800 SAR 14.3K

$10.1K SAR 37.9K

-62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 SAR 196

$57.7 SAR 217

-9.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 SAR 204

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 SAR 302

$104 SAR 391

-22.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 SAR 266

$105 SAR 393

-32.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 SAR 2,628

$1,149 SAR 4,312

-39.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 SAR 1,245

$833 SAR 3,128

-60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 SAR 3,397

$2,166 SAR 8,127

-58.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$827 SAR 3,104

$1,276 SAR 4,788

-35.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,949 SAR 7,313

$2,779 SAR 10.4K

-29.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 SAR 5,009

$1,718 SAR 6,446

-22.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,467 SAR 9,257

$2,052 SAR 7,702

20.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.98

5.54

-28.16%

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

Last update for Buraydah: October 27, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Buraydah

$332 27.1%

Riyadh

$833 48% 151% $502

Groceries & Markets

Buraydah

$205 16.7%

Riyadh

$241 13.9% 17.8% $36

Eating Out

Buraydah

$176 14.3%

Riyadh

$145 8.4% 17.2% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Buraydah

$172 14%

Riyadh

$208 12% 21.3% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Buraydah

$168 13.7%

Riyadh

$110 6.3% 34.7% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Buraydah

$116 9.5%

Riyadh

$144 8.3% 24.5% $28

Getting Around

Buraydah

$58 4.7%

Riyadh

$55 3.2% 5.3% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $700 in Buraydah versus $1,149 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 20% higher in Buraydah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40 in Buraydah versus $65 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $241 – making Buraydah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Buraydah

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🕒 Local time

04:45 4:45 AM

Same time as Buraydah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

467,410

5,188,286 Capital

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Buraydah Riyadh 330 km

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Buraydah
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Buraydah vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 42% more than Buraydah, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,839 per month in Buraydah and $2,606 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buraydah, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $700 there versus $1,149 in Riyadh.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,226 in Buraydah and $1,738 in Riyadh. That makes Buraydah about 29% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Buraydah and $554 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,226 in Buraydah and $1,738 in Riyadh. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.