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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,003 per month in Doha vs $1,739 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,069 per month in Doha vs $2,521 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,134 per month in Doha vs $3,304 in Riyadh, rent included.

Doha costs about 15% more than Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Doha and Riyadh sit above the global median – Doha by 49%, Riyadh by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 QAR 24.64

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-17.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 QAR 196

$53.0 SAR 199

1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 QAR 24.69

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-16.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

$1.71 SAR 6.41

587.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

$2.23 SAR 8.37

397.76%

Cappuccino

$4.98 QAR 18.14

$4.09 SAR 15.34

21.76%

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

$0.84 QAR 3.07

$0.71 SAR 2.66

18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 QAR 1.13

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 QAR 7.44

$1.68 SAR 6.30

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 QAR 5.92

$1.28 SAR 4.79

27.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 QAR 7.82

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-8.51%

Eggs

$2.62 QAR 9.55

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 QAR 41.26

$8.64 SAR 32.44

31.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.55 QAR 27.48

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-24.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 QAR 37.97

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-28.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 QAR 7.21

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-15.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 QAR 5.73

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 QAR 5.77

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 QAR 5.26

$1.53 SAR 5.73

-5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 QAR 3.57

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 QAR 3.88

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-27.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-4.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 QAR 1.66

$0.53 SAR 1.99

-13.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

$8.16 SAR 30.62

1.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

$1.71 SAR 6.42

7.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

$2.38 SAR 8.94

26.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 QAR 23.53

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-14.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 QAR 1.91

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-51.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.91 QAR 120

$36.73 SAR 138

-10.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 QAR 8.11

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-32.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

$1.85 SAR 6.95

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.60 QAR 49.50

$13.49 SAR 50.6

0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.16

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-6.35%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

-35.00%

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

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-13.31%

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

$93.5 QAR 340

$104 SAR 391

-10.27%

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

$37.48 QAR 136

$34.25 SAR 129

9.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 QAR 313

$77.0 SAR 289

11.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 QAR 436

$105 SAR 394

14.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.38 QAR 118

$58.3 SAR 219

-44.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 QAR 44.41

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-24.55%

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

$794 QAR 2,891

$457 SAR 1,716

73.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

20.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 QAR 227

$59.5 SAR 223

4.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 QAR 199

$64.1 SAR 241

-14.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 QAR 362

$107 SAR 400

-6.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$100 SAR 376

-10.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,609 QAR 5,857

$1,072 SAR 4,024

50.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 QAR 3,983

$841 SAR 3,158

30.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

$2,027 SAR 7,608

44.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,079 QAR 7,567

$1,090 SAR 4,093

90.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

45.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,709 QAR 9,860

$1,931 SAR 7,247

40.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

$2,252 SAR 8,453

38.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,609 in Doha 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 38% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $208 in Doha vs $226 in Riyadh – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,004 per month in Doha 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 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 $794 per month in Doha and $457 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 $1,739, than in Doha at $2,003. 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.