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: $1,180 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,770 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,758 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,504 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,336 in Hafar Al Batin versus $3,239 in Riyadh.

Living in Hafar Al Batin costs roughly 33% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hafar Al Batin is 12% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.46

$8.12 SAR 30.46

-32.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 SAR 101

$53.0 SAR 199

-49.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 SAR 23.81

$8.11 SAR 30.43

-21.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-11.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$2.24 SAR 8.39

-24.11%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.73

$4.15 SAR 15.56

-18.31%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.76 SAR 2.85

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

$1.63 SAR 6.09

19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.69

$2.45 SAR 9.19

-5.31%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.40

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-6.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.21

$8.65 SAR 32.44

-19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.51

$10.17 SAR 38.13

-25.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.31

$14.72 SAR 55.2

-12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.26 SAR 8.46

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.80 SAR 6.74

-6.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.53 SAR 5.75

1.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-4.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.52 SAR 5.69

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-10.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.77

$8.15 SAR 30.57

-64.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-2.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.62

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-16.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.90 SAR 25.86

$7.23 SAR 27.12

-4.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.09 SAR 4.07

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.03 SAR 150

$37.73 SAR 141

6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

$3.25 SAR 12.20

-18.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.18

$1.90 SAR 7.13

1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.40 SAR 50.3

$13.50 SAR 50.6

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.48

$0.59 SAR 2.22

11.86%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.4K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-23.12%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.4K

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

-6.74%

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

$103 SAR 388

$106 SAR 398

-2.69%

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

$34.25 SAR 128

$35.49 SAR 133

-3.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 SAR 271

$75.5 SAR 283

-4.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 SAR 335

$108 SAR 404

-17.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.10 SAR 135

$58.7 SAR 220

-38.51%

Cinema Ticket

$15.51 SAR 58.2

$15.69 SAR 58.8

-1.15%

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

$357 SAR 1,341

$449 SAR 1,685

-20.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,051 SAR 26.4K

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

-26.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 SAR 225

$58.5 SAR 219

2.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 SAR 227

$63.8 SAR 239

-5.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 291

$108 SAR 405

-28.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 310

$98.5 SAR 369

-16.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,654

$1,098 SAR 4,118

-59.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,453

$855 SAR 3,206

-54.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,248

$2,070 SAR 7,762

-58.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 SAR 2,301

$1,132 SAR 4,246

-45.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,315 SAR 8,682

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

-20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,349 SAR 5,059

$1,910 SAR 7,163

-29.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,375 SAR 5,156

$2,386 SAR 8,947

-42.37%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Hafar Al Batin and $1,098 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 74% 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: $27 in Hafar Al Batin vs $53 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $226 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 50% 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, Riyadh earns 74% less. 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 $1,098 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $357 in Hafar Al Batin versus $449 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,180 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,770 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 $1,180 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 50% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.