Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Doha and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,944 per month in Doha vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,080 per month in Doha vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,216 per month in Doha vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Doha costs about 11% more than Riyadh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Doha and Riyadh sit above the global median – Doha by 46%, Riyadh by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 QAR 24.61

$8.19 SAR 30.75

-17.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 197

$53.9 SAR 202

0.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 QAR 25.35

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-12.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

$1.69 SAR 6.33

587.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.90 QAR 39.66

$2.31 SAR 8.68

371.86%

Cappuccino

$4.97 QAR 18.10

$3.98 SAR 14.93

24.87%

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

$0.86 QAR 3.13

$0.77 SAR 2.88

11.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.20

$0.31 SAR 1.17

6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$1.69 SAR 6.34

20.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 QAR 5.95

$1.33 SAR 4.98

23.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 QAR 8.01

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-6.78%

Eggs

$2.67 QAR 9.70

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-0.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.57 QAR 42.12

$8.48 SAR 31.84

36.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 QAR 28.80

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-20.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 QAR 39.04

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-12.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 QAR 5.91

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.56

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-12.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 QAR 3.77

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-17.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 QAR 4.07

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 QAR 4.86

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-6.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 QAR 1.75

$0.52 SAR 1.94

-7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.16 QAR 37.00

$7.87 SAR 29.54

29.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 QAR 6.74

$1.79 SAR 6.70

3.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 QAR 10.89

$2.41 SAR 9.06

24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 QAR 23.12

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-14.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.81 QAR 119

$36.88 SAR 138

-11.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 QAR 8.15

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$1.84 SAR 6.93

15.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 QAR 49.81

$13.19 SAR 49.53

3.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.15

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-7.81%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-36.67%

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

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-12.91%

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

$93.4 QAR 340

$106 SAR 398

-11.77%

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

$37.55 QAR 137

$35.14 SAR 132

6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.7 QAR 323

$76.9 SAR 289

15.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 435

$106 SAR 399

12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.64 QAR 115

$59.9 SAR 225

-47.19%

Cinema Ticket

$12.46 QAR 45.34

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-23.18%

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

$802 QAR 2,918

$465 SAR 1,747

72.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

21.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 QAR 223

$58.3 SAR 219

4.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 QAR 200

$65.1 SAR 244

-15.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 QAR 365

$110 SAR 413

-8.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$101 SAR 378

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,638 QAR 5,963

$1,110 SAR 4,166

47.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,064 QAR 3,872

$843 SAR 3,164

26.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

$2,026 SAR 7,607

43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 QAR 7,636

$1,127 SAR 4,233

86.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

44.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,509 QAR 9,134

$1,938 SAR 7,279

29.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

$2,020 SAR 7,587

54.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.31

14.50%

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

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,638 in Doha 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 55% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Doha versus $54.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $225 – making Doha 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

Doha vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,916 per month in Doha 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 Riyadh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Riyadh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $802 per month in Doha and $465 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Riyadh, where all-in costs run around $1,758, than in Doha at $1,944. In Riyadh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Riyadh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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