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

Name: Saudi Arabia
Address: SA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $720 in China versus $1,158 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in China versus $1,763 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,576 in China versus $2,368 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in China costs about 38% less than in Saudi Arabia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 48% lower, Saudi Arabia 16% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saudi Arabia: monthly costs span $661 to $1,734, compared to $468–$1,236 in China. City choice carries more weight in Saudi Arabia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ¥19.60

$6.77 SAR 25.44

-56.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.72 ¥152

$39.89 SAR 150

-43.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.95

$7.77 SAR 29.17

-34.75%

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

$2.94 ¥19.70

$3.65 SAR 13.71

-19.45%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.75 SAR 2.82

-36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$0.25 SAR 0.93

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥11.99

$1.77 SAR 6.64

1.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.35

$1.09 SAR 4.10

55.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.45

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-55.76%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-38.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.1

$7.55 SAR 28.35

80.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ¥22.84

$8.05 SAR 30.24

-57.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ¥74.2

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-17.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-26.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-12.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.72

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-22.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-29.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$1.21 SAR 4.55

-49.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.73

$0.58 SAR 2.18

-3.45%

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)

$3.67 ¥24.58

$7.26 SAR 27.26

-49.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-73.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

$37.33 SAR 140

-39.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-46.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-87.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.72

$13.10 SAR 49.20

-44.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$0.60 SAR 2.25

105.00%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

$66.1K SAR 248.2K

-70.43%

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-19.22%

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

$55.5 ¥371

$97.4 SAR 366

-43.05%

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

$8.51 ¥57.0

$31.85 SAR 120

-73.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.81 ¥72.4

$68.4 SAR 257

-84.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

$85.3 SAR 320

-53.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

$40.65 SAR 153

-63.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.09

$14.22 SAR 53.4

-52.67%

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

$454 ¥3,042

$427 SAR 1,602

6.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$8,940 SAR 33.6K

118.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

$45.81 SAR 172

-1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

$55.4 SAR 208

-35.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

$88.7 SAR 333

-13.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

$86.9 SAR 326

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,581

$601 SAR 2,257

-35.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

$455 SAR 1,708

-46.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,603

$967 SAR 3,632

-13.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥3,177

$659 SAR 2,475

-28.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

$2,334 SAR 8,767

97.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

$1,379 SAR 5,178

68.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,110

$1,911 SAR 7,176

-44.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

5.41

-35.86%

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

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $295 in China, $572 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $957 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,174 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $865 in China, $1,952 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 94% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 94% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 126% higher in Saudi Arabia, 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

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

At $852 per month in China and $1,198 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 41% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Saudi Arabia is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Saudi Arabia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Saudi Arabia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.