Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Jubail and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,790 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $2,519 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Jubail versus $3,249 in Riyadh.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 41% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jubail is 22% below, Riyadh is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$8.11 SAR 30.41

-20.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 SAR 151

$52.9 SAR 198

-24.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 SAR 34.84

$8.08 SAR 30.32

14.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.72 SAR 6.44

5.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

$2.23 SAR 8.35

27.80%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$4.13 SAR 15.48

-17.92%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$0.72 SAR 2.72

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.62 SAR 6.06

9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.32 SAR 8.71

-29.74%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.44

$2.69 SAR 10.07

-6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$8.41 SAR 31.54

-2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 SAR 25.85

$10.11 SAR 37.93

-31.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 SAR 41.96

$14.67 SAR 55.0

-23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.22 SAR 8.34

4.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.67 SAR 6.26

2.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.91

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.24 SAR 4.67

-9.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.55 SAR 2.08

16.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$8.15 SAR 30.58

-64.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$1.81 SAR 6.78

9.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$2.38 SAR 8.93

2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.33

$7.52 SAR 28.22

-6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 SAR 94.2

$37.48 SAR 141

-32.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 SAR 15.32

$3.28 SAR 12.31

24.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.84 SAR 6.92

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 SAR 63.8

$13.10 SAR 49.13

29.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.59 SAR 2.20

6.78%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

-42.29%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

1.87%

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

$98.8 SAR 371

$104 SAR 390

-5.01%

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

$31.97 SAR 120

$34.30 SAR 129

-6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 SAR 244

$76.4 SAR 287

-14.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$106 SAR 397

-16.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$59.8 SAR 224

-39.92%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 SAR 52.1

$15.74 SAR 59.0

-11.75%

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

$202 SAR 759

$448 SAR 1,681

-54.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

-13.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.63 SAR 145

$60.2 SAR 226

-35.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 SAR 233

$65.1 SAR 244

-4.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 SAR 313

$107 SAR 402

-22.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 SAR 298

$99.7 SAR 374

-20.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,513

$1,103 SAR 4,135

-63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 SAR 1,039

$841 SAR 3,155

-67.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 SAR 2,456

$2,086 SAR 7,821

-68.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 SAR 1,892

$1,098 SAR 4,117

-54.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,522 SAR 9,458

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

-12.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 SAR 4,934

$1,947 SAR 7,301

-32.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,008

$2,436 SAR 9,136

-34.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.31

0.38%

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

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 52% 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: $40.00 in Jubail vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $224 per month, with Jubail 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

Jubail vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Riyadh earns 52% 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: $403 in Jubail versus $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,050 per month in Jubail versus $1,790 in Riyadh – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 49% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,790 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,050 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.