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: $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,734 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,711 in Jubail versus $2,582 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,316 in Jubail versus $3,429 in Riyadh.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 36% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jubail is 20% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 SAR 25.59

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-12.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.68 SAR 153

$64.8 SAR 243

-37.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 SAR 33.67

$8.87 SAR 33.31

1.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-8.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-21.89%

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.85

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-6.38%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$0.85 SAR 3.19

18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-18.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.25 SAR 4.70

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-34.29%

Eggs

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.47

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-10.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 SAR 23.31

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-37.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.44

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-17.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-8.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-33.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.73 SAR 6.51

-4.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.20 SAR 4.50

7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-13.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-62.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.85 SAR 6.93

16.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-16.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.63

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-9.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.90

$1.09 SAR 4.08

19.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 SAR 90.2

$37.56 SAR 141

-36.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SAR 12.84

$3.28 SAR 12.33

4.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.89 SAR 7.09

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.27

$13.13 SAR 49.32

-0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

26.65%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-6.94%

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

$81.1 SAR 305

$97.0 SAR 364

-16.34%

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

$27.49 SAR 103

$32.37 SAR 122

-15.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$68.6 SAR 258

-3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 384

$89.7 SAR 337

14.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 SAR 150

$54.9 SAR 206

-27.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$13.29 SAR 49.89

1.20%

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

$177 SAR 666

$533 SAR 2,000

-66.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,825 SAR 29.4K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-30.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 SAR 155

$58.9 SAR 221

-29.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$56.1 SAR 211

6.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 SAR 306

$106 SAR 398

-23.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 SAR 321

$104 SAR 392

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,595

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-63.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 SAR 1,100

$830 SAR 3,117

-64.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,424

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-70.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 SAR 1,974

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-57.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-7.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,205

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-29.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,016

$2,052 SAR 7,705

-21.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.54

1.44%

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

Last update for Jubail: September 5, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Jubail and $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 28% 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: $41.00 in Jubail vs $65.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $240 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 57% 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 28% 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: $425 in Jubail versus $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,107 per month in Jubail versus $1,734 in Riyadh – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 56% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,734 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 $1,107 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 57% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.