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: $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,780 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,348 in Hafar Al Batin versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Hafar Al Batin costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hafar Al Batin is 9% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 SAR 20.17

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-31.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.16 SAR 98.2

$52.6 SAR 198

-50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 SAR 24.04

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-21.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-11.80%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-11.28%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-16.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.91

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-22.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.61 SAR 6.05

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.37 SAR 8.88

0.42%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-6.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.42

$8.19 SAR 30.74

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$9.89 SAR 37.13

-24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 SAR 49.68

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.23 SAR 8.36

1.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.60 SAR 5.99

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-0.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-10.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.56 SAR 2.10

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.84

$8.05 SAR 30.21

-64.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-12.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 SAR 26.01

$7.37 SAR 27.67

-5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$36.91 SAR 139

8.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.25

$3.25 SAR 12.22

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.91 SAR 7.16

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.36

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-1.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.67 SAR 2.51

$0.63 SAR 2.35

6.35%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-24.91%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.6K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-4.91%

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

$105 SAR 394

$103 SAR 387

1.80%

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

$33.09 SAR 124

$34.99 SAR 131

-5.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 SAR 272

$75.5 SAR 283

-4.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 SAR 331

$108 SAR 404

-18.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.45 SAR 133

$59.7 SAR 224

-40.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 SAR 58.2

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-4.44%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$457 SAR 1,714

-24.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,004 SAR 26.3K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-25.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 SAR 223

$59.6 SAR 224

-0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 225

$63.5 SAR 238

-5.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 SAR 295

$108 SAR 406

-27.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$99.0 SAR 372

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,657

$1,092 SAR 4,101

-59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,411

$833 SAR 3,127

-54.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,188

$2,008 SAR 7,538

-57.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,315

$1,130 SAR 4,242

-45.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,667 SAR 10.0K

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-9.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,203

$1,965 SAR 7,378

-29.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,422 SAR 5,340

$2,099 SAR 7,881

-32.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Hafar Al Batin and $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 48% 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: $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $222 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 45% 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 48% 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: $441 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $347 in Hafar Al Batin versus $457 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,753 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 $1,213 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 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.