Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,172 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,734 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,793 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,582 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,414 in Hafar Al Batin versus $3,429 in Riyadh.

Living in Hafar Al Batin costs roughly 32% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hafar Al Batin is 15% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.38 SAR 23.96

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-18.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.50 SAR 141

$64.8 SAR 243

-42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 SAR 29.91

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-10.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-20.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-32.66%

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.54

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-21.04%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.20

$0.85 SAR 3.19

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.00

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 SAR 7.30

$1.68 SAR 6.32

15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-3.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-12.24%

Eggs

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-25.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.53

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-21.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-20.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.80

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-16.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-17.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-33.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-6.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.23

$1.20 SAR 4.50

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.82 SAR 10.58

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-63.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-8.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-16.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 SAR 24.72

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-12.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-9.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.25 SAR 121

$37.56 SAR 141

-14.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 SAR 12.47

$3.28 SAR 12.33

1.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.89 SAR 7.09

-6.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.58 SAR 54.8

$13.13 SAR 49.32

11.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.59 SAR 2.23

5.08%

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

$50.7K SAR 190.4K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

41.33%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

2.96%

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

$108 SAR 406

$97.0 SAR 364

11.48%

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

$30.43 SAR 114

$32.37 SAR 122

-5.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$68.6 SAR 258

-2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 SAR 289

$89.7 SAR 337

-14.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.40 SAR 144

$54.9 SAR 206

-30.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 SAR 53.1

$13.29 SAR 49.89

6.32%

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

$392 SAR 1,471

$533 SAR 2,000

-26.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,339 SAR 23.8K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-44.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.58 SAR 182

$58.9 SAR 221

-17.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 SAR 238

$56.1 SAR 211

13.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 397

$106 SAR 398

-0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 323

$104 SAR 392

-17.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,020

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-54.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 SAR 1,318

$830 SAR 3,117

-57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 SAR 3,345

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-59.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,372

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-48.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,623 SAR 9,852

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-10.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,195 SAR 4,488

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-39.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,417 SAR 5,320

$2,052 SAR 7,705

-30.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: September 5, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $538 in Hafar Al Batin and $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $38.00 in Hafar Al Batin vs $65.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $240 per month, with Hafar Al Batin cheaper across the board.

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

Hafar Al Batin vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hafar Al Batin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Riyadh. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $538 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $392 in Hafar Al Batin versus $533 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,172 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,734 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hafar Al Batin but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Hafar Al Batin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hafar Al Batin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,172 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hafar Al Batin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Hafar Al Batin and Riyadh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hafar Al Batin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.