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

Name: Saudi Arabia
Address: SA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Canada vs $1,158 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,254 per month in Canada vs $1,763 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Canada vs $2,368 in Saudi Arabia, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 91% higher than in Saudi Arabia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 61% 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 Canada ($912–$3,779) than in Saudi Arabia ($661–$1,734), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.35

$6.77 SAR 25.44

170.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.8

$39.89 SAR 150

78.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$7.77 SAR 29.17

41.06%

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

$3.95 CA$5.47

$3.65 SAR 13.71

8.22%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$0.75 SAR 2.82

176.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$0.25 SAR 0.93

596.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.89

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$1.77 SAR 6.64

25.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.09 SAR 4.10

148.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$2.17 SAR 8.14

71.43%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$5.01

$2.61 SAR 9.79

38.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.99

$7.55 SAR 28.35

43.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.95

$8.05 SAR 30.24

51.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.75

$13.44 SAR 50.5

16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.89

$2.24 SAR 8.41

89.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$1.69 SAR 6.35

137.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.67

$1.68 SAR 6.32

143.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.72

$1.35 SAR 5.07

98.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.40

$1.34 SAR 5.02

82.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$1.21 SAR 4.55

120.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.58 SAR 2.18

210.34%

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)

$14.46 CA$20.05

$7.26 SAR 27.26

99.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$1.09 SAR 4.09

125.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 CA$104

$37.33 SAR 140

101.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$2.73 SAR 10.24

15.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-41.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 CA$38.21

$13.10 SAR 49.20

110.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$0.60 SAR 2.25

93.33%

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

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$66.1K SAR 248.2K

-57.07%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-8.83%

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

$155 CA$215

$97.4 SAR 366

59.07%

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

$43.47 CA$60.3

$31.85 SAR 120

36.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.8

$68.4 SAR 257

-11.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.1

$85.3 SAR 320

-51.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.79 CA$27.45

$40.65 SAR 153

-51.32%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$15.98

$14.22 SAR 53.4

-18.92%

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

$786 CA$1,089

$427 SAR 1,602

84.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.6K

$8,940 SAR 33.6K

65.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.3

$45.81 SAR 172

20.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.25 CA$57.2

$55.4 SAR 208

-25.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$88.7 SAR 333

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$86.9 SAR 326

22.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,797

$601 SAR 2,257

115.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,619

$455 SAR 1,708

156.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,835

$967 SAR 3,632

111.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,467

$659 SAR 2,475

169.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 CA$6,638

$2,334 SAR 8,767

105.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 CA$5,510

$1,379 SAR 5,178

188.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,270

$1,911 SAR 7,176

61.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

5.41

-10.17%

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

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,228 in Canada vs $572 in Saudi Arabia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,496 in Ottawa and $1,174 in Riyadh.

Average salary: $2,981 in Canada 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 115% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 65% more in Canada.

Public transport is 82% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 53% higher in Canada, 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

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

Saudi Arabia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 96% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Saudi Arabia, contributing to the overall 96% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Saudi Arabia, but in Canada 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.