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: $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,776 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Jubail versus $2,477 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,282 in Jubail versus $3,177 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 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-17.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$52.5 SAR 197

-24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$8.07 SAR 30.29

11.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.70 SAR 6.40

8.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

$2.25 SAR 8.43

28.00%

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-15.96%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.70 SAR 2.64

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.63 SAR 6.12

12.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-23.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.43 SAR 9.10

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.66 SAR 9.96

-7.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$8.60 SAR 32.27

-8.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$10.00 SAR 37.53

-29.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$14.60 SAR 54.8

-25.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.35 SAR 8.83

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.71 SAR 6.40

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.55 SAR 5.81

-9.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.24 SAR 4.64

-5.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.55 SAR 2.07

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

$7.76 SAR 29.11

-61.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

$1.75 SAR 6.55

10.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

$2.31 SAR 8.65

6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$7.13 SAR 26.74

-0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$38.03 SAR 143

-32.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$3.24 SAR 12.16

20.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.83 SAR 6.86

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$13.56 SAR 50.9

27.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-42.80%

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

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

4.48%

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

$99.1 SAR 372

$103 SAR 385

-3.40%

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

$31.64 SAR 119

$34.54 SAR 130

-8.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$75.3 SAR 283

-15.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$105 SAR 395

-15.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$58.2 SAR 218

-39.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-12.60%

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

$203 SAR 762

$459 SAR 1,723

-55.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-10.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$60.2 SAR 226

-36.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$64.2 SAR 241

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$106 SAR 399

-20.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$100 SAR 376

-20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$1,083 SAR 4,063

-62.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$849 SAR 3,185

-66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$2,040 SAR 7,654

-68.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$1,126 SAR 4,227

-55.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

-18.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$1,962 SAR 7,362

-34.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$2,263 SAR 8,490

-29.37%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Jubail and $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 42% 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 $52.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $225 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 69% 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 42% 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: $405 in Jubail versus $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,051 per month in Jubail versus $1,776 in Riyadh – a 69% 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 $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,776 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 $1,051 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 69% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.