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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,302 per month in Dhahran vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Dhahran vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,697 per month in Dhahran vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Dhahran is about 26% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Dhahran sits 3% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$53.9 SAR 202

-25.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-7.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

$1.69 SAR 6.33

18.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-31.17%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-7.79%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-11.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-12.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-22.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-11.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-6.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-18.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-15.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-18.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-4.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-25.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.52 SAR 1.94

9.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-39.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

$1.79 SAR 6.70

11.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-35.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$7.41 SAR 27.83

24.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$36.88 SAR 138

9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-57.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.84 SAR 6.93

28.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$13.19 SAR 49.53

0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-9.34%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

4.21%

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

$106 SAR 397

$106 SAR 398

-0.18%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$35.14 SAR 132

4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$76.9 SAR 289

-6.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$106 SAR 399

72.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.68%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-25.40%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$465 SAR 1,747

-13.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

1.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$58.3 SAR 219

2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$65.1 SAR 244

14.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$110 SAR 413

-22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$101 SAR 378

-4.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-60.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$843 SAR 3,164

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-58.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-43.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-61.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-45.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$2,020 SAR 7,587

42.75%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $1,110 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 43% 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 $40.00 in Dhahran versus $54.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $225 – 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 35% 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 $1,953 per month in Dhahran and $2,637 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 $1,302 in Dhahran and $1,758 in Riyadh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $1,302, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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 $1,302 versus $1,758 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.