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: $1,085 in Qatif versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,695 in Qatif versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,304 in Qatif versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Qatif costs roughly 38% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Qatif is 19% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 SAR 12.78

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-58.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.15 SAR 181

$53.0 SAR 199

-9.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-1.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.71 SAR 6.41

6.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-17.04%

Cappuccino

$3.57 SAR 13.40

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-12.71%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$0.71 SAR 2.66

14.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SAR 3.28

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-13.19%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.39

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-17.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 SAR 22.58

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-30.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 SAR 26.72

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-28.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-30.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.24

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-6.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-21.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$1.53 SAR 5.73

-50.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-9.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 SAR 4.15

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-23.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.53 SAR 1.99

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-67.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-9.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.40

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-17.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.56 SAR 28.38

$7.54 SAR 28.29

0.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.09 SAR 4.09

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.22 SAR 151

$36.73 SAR 138

9.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 SAR 11.97

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-12.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.23

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-2.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-32.64%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.5K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-15.26%

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

$106 SAR 399

$104 SAR 391

2.12%

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

$36.49 SAR 137

$34.25 SAR 129

6.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 SAR 223

$77.0 SAR 289

-22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.5 SAR 351

$105 SAR 394

-10.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.3 SAR 211

$58.3 SAR 219

-3.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 SAR 56.9

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-6.31%

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

$394 SAR 1,480

$457 SAR 1,716

-13.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,379 SAR 31.4K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-13.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 197

$59.5 SAR 223

-11.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 SAR 191

$64.1 SAR 241

-20.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 SAR 339

$107 SAR 400

-15.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 SAR 328

$100 SAR 376

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-66.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 SAR 1,096

$841 SAR 3,158

-65.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 SAR 2,703

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-64.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 SAR 1,832

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-55.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$942 SAR 3,534

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-69.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$797 SAR 2,991

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-58.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,301 SAR 8,635

$2,252 SAR 8,452

2.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

5.31

-18.46%

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

Last update for Qatif: May 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Qatif and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Qatif vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $226 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,085 vs $1,739 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Qatif pays 2% more on average, 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: $361 in Qatif versus $1,072 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 $48.00 versus $53.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,085 per month in Qatif versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,085 in Qatif versus $1,739 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 60% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.