๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,018 in Germany versus $1,178 in Saudi Arabia.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,052 in Germany versus $1,800 in Saudi Arabia.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,086 in Germany versus $2,422 in Saudi Arabia.
๐Living in Germany is roughly 71% more expensive than Saudi Arabia on average.
๐Germany (51% above) and Saudi Arabia (12% below) straddle the global median.
๐Internal cost variation is higher in Germany: monthly costs span $1,336 to $2,796, compared to $918โ$1,790 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in Germany.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.42โฌ14.87
$6.60SARย 24.76
163.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.3โฌ65.2
$40.41SARย 152
88.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.45โฌ9.78
$8.02SARย 30.08
42.77%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.84SARย 6.92
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.91SARย 7.16
-
Cappuccino
$4.15โฌ3.54
$3.65SARย 13.67
13.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38โฌ2.89
$0.73SARย 2.73
363.01%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90โฌ2.48
$0.25SARย 0.94
1060.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.19โฌ4.43
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.76โฌ4.06
-
-
๐ Groceries & Markets
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27โฌ1.08
$1.67SARย 6.25
-23.95%
White Bread(500g)
$2.18โฌ1.86
$1.03SARย 3.86
111.65%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.31โฌ2.82
$2.15SARย 8.06
53.95%
Eggs
$3.78โฌ3.23
$2.57SARย 9.63
47.08%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.85โฌ12.68
$7.38SARย 27.68
101.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.02โฌ11.97
$8.26SARย 30.97
69.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.27โฌ17.31
$12.81SARย 48.04
58.24%
Apples(1kg)
$3.19โฌ2.72
$2.15SARย 8.07
48.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.89โฌ1.61
$1.62SARย 6.09
16.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25โฌ1.92
$1.71SARย 6.41
31.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.81โฌ4.11
$1.59SARย 5.96
202.52%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53โฌ1.31
$1.27SARย 4.77
20.47%
Onion(1kg)
$1.56โฌ1.33
$1.30SARย 4.89
20.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.93โฌ1.65
$1.20SARย 4.51
60.83%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.10โฌ0.94
$0.62SARย 2.31
77.42%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$4.08SARย 15.31
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.75SARย 6.58
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.16SARย 8.10
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.85โฌ8.42
$7.36SARย 27.61
33.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.42โฌ5.48
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10โฌ0.94
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63โฌ1.39
-
-
๐ Getting Around
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$3.63โฌ3.10
$1.05SARย 3.95
245.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$66.1โฌ56.5
$36.94SARย 139
78.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.64โฌ4.82
$2.68SARย 10.06
110.45%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.25โฌ1.93
$2.65SARย 9.95
-15.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$38.47โฌ32.85
$13.54SARย 50.8
184.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.02โฌ1.72
$0.59SARย 2.22
242.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.9Kโฌ27.3K
$25.1KSARย 94.0K
27.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.6Kโฌ32.1K
$22.0KSARย 82.5K
70.76%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$348โฌ297
$105SARย 394
231.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.62โฌ23.59
$33.52SARย 126
-17.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.5โฌ44.83
$72.7SARย 273
-27.77%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.10โฌ34.24
$95.3SARย 357
-57.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.94โฌ21.30
$41.38SARย 155
-39.73%
Cinema Ticket
$13.67โฌ11.68
$16.21SARย 60.8
-15.67%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$478โฌ408
$352SARย 1,322
35.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.8Kโฌ12.6K
$7,166SARย 26.9K
106.47%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.6โฌ79.9
$51.7SARย 194
80.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.16โฌ37.71
$59.3SARย 222
-25.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103โฌ87.9
$93.8SARย 352
9.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134โฌ114
$82.1SARย 308
62.94%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,024โฌ874
$476SARย 1,783
115.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$791โฌ675
$407SARย 1,527
94.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,917โฌ1,637
$885SARย 3,320
116.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,448โฌ1,236
$634SARย 2,379
128.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,372โฌ5,441
$2,303SARย 8,636
176.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,229โฌ3,611
$1,278SARย 4,793
230.86%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Germany
Saudi Arabia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,467โฌ2,961
$2,034SARย 7,626
70.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.98
4.65
-14.41%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Germany: April 27, 2026
Last update for Saudi Arabia: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ National rent averages: $846 in Germany, $418 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $1,390 in Berlin vs $1,103 in Riyadh.
๐ฐNational salary averages: $3,255 in Germany, $2,012 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
โญRent is 102% higher in Germany.
โญDining out costs 80% more in Germany.
โญPublic transport is 55% more expensive in Germany.
โญSalaries are 62% higher in Germany.
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
Germany vs Saudi Arabia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Saudi Arabia?
At $2,066 per month in Germany and $1,354 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 53% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Germany and Saudi Arabia?
Rent in Germany beats Saudi Arabia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Germany vs Saudi Arabia?
In Saudi Arabia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Germany, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and Saudi Arabia?
It depends on what you're after. Saudi Arabia wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.