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: $711 in China versus $1,178 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,800 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $2,422 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in China costs about 40% less than in Saudi Arabia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Saudi Arabia 12% lower.

China ($525–$1,220) and Saudi Arabia ($918–$1,790) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$6.60 SAR 24.76

-58.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$40.41 SAR 152

-40.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$8.02 SAR 30.08

-38.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$3.65 SAR 13.67

-14.52%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.73 SAR 2.73

-34.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.25 SAR 0.94

8.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.67 SAR 6.25

9.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$1.03 SAR 3.86

63.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$2.15 SAR 8.06

-57.67%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$2.57 SAR 9.63

-39.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$7.38 SAR 27.68

75.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$8.26 SAR 30.97

-60.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$12.81 SAR 48.04

-17.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$2.15 SAR 8.07

-15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.62 SAR 6.09

-19.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-12.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$1.27 SAR 4.77

-40.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$1.30 SAR 4.89

-31.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$1.20 SAR 4.51

-51.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.62 SAR 2.31

-6.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$7.36 SAR 27.61

-52.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-58.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$36.94 SAR 139

-42.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$2.68 SAR 10.06

-49.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-86.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-51.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$0.59 SAR 2.22

91.53%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$25.1K SAR 94.0K

-21.25%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$22.0K SAR 82.5K

-22.34%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$105 SAR 394

-51.53%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$33.52 SAR 126

-70.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$72.7 SAR 273

-84.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$95.3 SAR 357

-57.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$41.38 SAR 155

-63.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$16.21 SAR 60.8

-62.43%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$352 SAR 1,322

18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$7,166 SAR 26.9K

140.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$51.7 SAR 194

-10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$59.3 SAR 222

-44.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$93.8 SAR 352

-24.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$82.1 SAR 308

-11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$476 SAR 1,783

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$407 SAR 1,527

-36.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$885 SAR 3,320

4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$634 SAR 2,379

-13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$2,303 SAR 8,636

119.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$1,278 SAR 4,793

108.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$2,034 SAR 7,626

-47.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.65

-12.69%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $418 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,103 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $2,012 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 46% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 122% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 141% higher in Saudi Arabia, giving Saudi Arabia stronger purchasing power.

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 $873 per month in China and $1,354 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 55% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.