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: $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Jubail versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 40% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jubail is 21% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.29

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-13.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.37 SAR 148

$52.6 SAR 198

-25.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 SAR 35.34

$8.16 SAR 30.64

15.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$1.78 SAR 6.68

7.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

$2.20 SAR 8.26

32.27%

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.55

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-16.29%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.61 SAR 6.05

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-29.11%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-4.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$9.89 SAR 37.13

-30.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SAR 41.60

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-23.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.23 SAR 8.36

3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-1.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.60 SAR 5.99

-11.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.19

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-13.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-9.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.38 SAR 5.19

2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.56 SAR 2.10

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$8.05 SAR 30.21

-62.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$1.78 SAR 6.68

12.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$2.31 SAR 8.66

0.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SAR 27.27

$7.37 SAR 27.67

-1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-17.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.68 SAR 96.4

$36.91 SAR 139

-30.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 SAR 15.19

$3.25 SAR 12.22

24.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-4.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.99 SAR 63.8

$13.41 SAR 50.3

26.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.63 SAR 2.35

1.59%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-44.15%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

4.89%

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

$102 SAR 381

$103 SAR 387

-1.48%

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

$31.84 SAR 120

$34.99 SAR 131

-9.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$75.5 SAR 283

-14.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 SAR 336

$108 SAR 404

-16.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.40 SAR 133

$59.7 SAR 224

-40.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 SAR 52.5

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-13.74%

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

$202 SAR 757

$457 SAR 1,714

-55.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-8.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 SAR 141

$59.6 SAR 224

-37.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$63.5 SAR 238

-3.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SAR 318

$108 SAR 406

-21.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$99.0 SAR 372

-18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,514

$1,092 SAR 4,101

-63.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 SAR 1,024

$833 SAR 3,127

-67.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,390

$2,008 SAR 7,538

-68.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 SAR 1,868

$1,130 SAR 4,242

-55.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 SAR 9,554

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-13.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 SAR 4,944

$1,965 SAR 7,378

-32.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 SAR 6,107

$2,099 SAR 7,881

-22.51%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 29% 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: $39.00 in Jubail vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $222 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 66% 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, salaries run 29% 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: $403 in Jubail versus $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,054 per month in Jubail versus $1,753 in Riyadh – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 44% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,753 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 $1,054 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 66% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.