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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,155 per month in Doha vs $1,734 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,334 per month in Doha vs $2,582 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,514 per month in Doha vs $3,429 in Riyadh, rent included.

Doha costs about 24% more than Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Doha and Riyadh sit above the global median – Doha by 56%, Riyadh by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 QAR 40.54

$7.79 SAR 29.24

43.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.4 QAR 267

$64.8 SAR 243

13.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 QAR 30.83

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-4.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.38 QAR 45.07

$1.99 SAR 7.46

522.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.64 QAR 49.64

$2.97 SAR 11.14

359.26%

Cappuccino

$5.71 QAR 20.79

$4.23 SAR 15.87

34.99%

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

$1.01 QAR 3.66

$0.85 SAR 3.19

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 QAR 1.62

$0.32 SAR 1.22

40.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 QAR 7.52

$1.68 SAR 6.32

23.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 QAR 5.35

$1.25 SAR 4.70

17.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 QAR 7.01

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-21.22%

Eggs

$3.46 QAR 12.61

$3.19 SAR 11.98

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.24 QAR 40.93

$9.69 SAR 36.38

16.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 QAR 29.57

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-18.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 QAR 40.72

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-26.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 QAR 7.98

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 QAR 6.75

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 QAR 5.54

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-35.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 QAR 4.61

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-26.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 QAR 3.66

$1.20 SAR 4.50

-15.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 QAR 3.70

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-28.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 QAR 5.03

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 QAR 1.87

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-13.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.38 QAR 34.16

$7.75 SAR 29.11

21.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 QAR 6.83

$1.85 SAR 6.93

1.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 QAR 8.05

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 QAR 24.17

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-11.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 QAR 2.09

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-47.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.29 QAR 99.4

$37.56 SAR 141

-27.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 QAR 7.17

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-39.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 QAR 7.40

$1.89 SAR 7.09

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.02 QAR 51.0

$13.13 SAR 49.32

6.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 QAR 2.14

$0.59 SAR 2.23

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

$27.9K QAR 101.7K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

-22.15%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.6K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-1.07%

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

$89.6 QAR 326

$97.0 SAR 364

-7.67%

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

$35.92 QAR 131

$32.37 SAR 122

10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 QAR 320

$68.6 SAR 258

28.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$133 QAR 485

$89.7 SAR 337

48.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.48 QAR 67.3

$54.9 SAR 206

-66.36%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 QAR 44.72

$13.29 SAR 49.89

-7.52%

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

$685 QAR 2,493

$533 SAR 2,000

28.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K QAR 36.6K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-11.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 QAR 224

$58.9 SAR 221

4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 QAR 189

$56.1 SAR 211

-7.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 QAR 381

$106 SAR 398

-1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 QAR 315

$104 SAR 392

-17.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 QAR 7,012

$1,174 SAR 4,408

64.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,231 QAR 4,480

$830 SAR 3,117

48.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 QAR 12.9K

$2,205 SAR 8,280

60.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 QAR 8,525

$1,223 SAR 4,595

91.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,171 QAR 15.2K

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

42.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 QAR 8,986

$1,962 SAR 7,367

25.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,385 QAR 12.3K

$2,052 SAR 7,705

65.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.54

6.14%

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

Last update for Doha: September 6, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,926 in Doha versus $1,174 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 65% 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 $73.0 in Doha versus $65.0 in Riyadh. Groceries tell a different story – $216 in Doha vs $240 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 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,233 per month in Doha and $2,601 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 38% less in Riyadh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $685 per month in Doha and $533 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 $1,734, than in Doha at $2,155. 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.