Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Qatif and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,076 in Qatif versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,645 in Qatif versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Qatif versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Qatif costs roughly 38% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Qatif is 22% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SAR 13.34

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-54.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.21 SAR 132

$64.3 SAR 241

-45.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 SAR 24.77

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-21.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$1.81 SAR 6.79

1.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-23.59%

Cappuccino

$3.08 SAR 11.58

$4.38 SAR 16.44

-29.68%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.86 SAR 3.23

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 SAR 0.60

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-52.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.70 SAR 6.40

4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-20.66%

Eggs

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 SAR 22.39

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-37.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$9.80 SAR 36.81

-17.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.83

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-30.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-62.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 SAR 4.03

$1.11 SAR 4.16

-3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.31

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-17.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-43.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.95

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-67.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-18.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-12.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 SAR 24.52

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-10.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 SAR 3.88

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-1.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.84 SAR 135

$37.11 SAR 139

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-27.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-71.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.30 SAR 49.94

1.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.59 SAR 2.20

6.78%

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

$36.5K SAR 137.2K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

3.19%

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

$20.3K SAR 76.3K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-8.89%

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

$103 SAR 386

$95.6 SAR 359

7.47%

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

$33.38 SAR 125

$31.83 SAR 120

4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 SAR 222

$70.0 SAR 263

-15.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$91.6 SAR 344

-9.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.36 SAR 137

$54.8 SAR 206

-33.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 SAR 49.52

$13.76 SAR 51.7

-4.14%

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

$262 SAR 982

$539 SAR 2,023

-51.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,083 SAR 30.4K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-27.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.57 SAR 119

$59.9 SAR 225

-47.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.58 SAR 81.0

$58.4 SAR 219

-63.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 SAR 354

$111 SAR 415

-14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 SAR 337

$104 SAR 391

-13.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 SAR 2,139

$1,189 SAR 4,464

-52.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,292

$851 SAR 3,195

-59.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 SAR 3,284

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 SAR 2,031

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-57.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$975 SAR 3,661

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

-66.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$794 SAR 2,981

$1,891 SAR 7,100

-58.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,269 SAR 8,521

$2,104 SAR 7,902

7.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.54

-0.72%

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

Last update for Qatif: August 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $570 in Qatif and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Qatif vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $238 per month, with Qatif 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

Qatif vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qatif and Riyadh differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($1,076 vs $1,736 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Qatif, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $570 in Qatif versus $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Qatif – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $64.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,076 per month in Qatif versus $1,736 in Riyadh – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,076 in Qatif versus $1,736 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.