Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Dhahran vs $1,739 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Dhahran vs $2,521 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Dhahran vs $3,304 in Riyadh, rent included.

Dhahran is about 23% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Dhahran sits 1% below the global median, while Riyadh is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-36.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$53.0 SAR 199

-23.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.78

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-11.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

$1.71 SAR 6.41

19.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-27.80%

Cappuccino

$3.77 SAR 14.14

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-7.82%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.71 SAR 2.66

4.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-41.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-8.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-7.23%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.62

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-20.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 SAR 33.18

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-4.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-21.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-11.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.53 SAR 5.73

-10.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-4.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-39.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.53 SAR 1.99

7.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-40.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$1.71 SAR 6.42

15.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-34.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 SAR 35.72

$7.54 SAR 28.29

26.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.72 SAR 153

$36.73 SAR 138

10.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-58.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$1.85 SAR 6.95

32.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.49 SAR 50.6

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.63 SAR 2.36

3.17%

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

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-4.89%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

3.63%

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

$104 SAR 391

-0.05%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$34.25 SAR 129

5.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 SAR 276

$77.0 SAR 289

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 688

$105 SAR 394

74.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$58.3 SAR 219

-38.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 SAR 44.66

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-26.41%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$457 SAR 1,716

-9.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$59.5 SAR 223

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 SAR 288

$64.1 SAR 241

19.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 SAR 317

$107 SAR 400

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 SAR 367

$100 SAR 376

-2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,436

$841 SAR 3,158

-54.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,138

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-58.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-43.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-63.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-44.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

$2,252 SAR 8,452

28.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $1,072 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 28% higher in Dhahran, 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 $41.00 in Dhahran versus $53.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $226 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Dhahran vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 31% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,998 per month in Dhahran and $2,608 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,332 in Dhahran and $1,739 in Riyadh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,332 versus $1,739 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dhahran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.