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: $1,074 in Qatif versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Qatif versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,258 in Qatif versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Qatif costs roughly 39% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Qatif is 20% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 SAR 13.27

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-56.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.80 SAR 183

$53.9 SAR 202

-9.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 SAR 30.34

$7.97 SAR 29.91

1.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.69 SAR 6.33

8.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-20.35%

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.85

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-7.29%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.77 SAR 2.88

6.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SAR 3.29

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-33.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-10.59%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-14.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 SAR 23.72

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.23

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-26.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.98

$14.50 SAR 54.5

-30.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-11.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-23.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-52.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.58

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-19.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-65.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-10.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.41 SAR 9.07

-17.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$7.41 SAR 27.83

5.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.31 SAR 151

$36.88 SAR 138

9.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$3.22 SAR 12.09

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.48 SAR 50.6

$13.19 SAR 49.54

2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.39

1.56%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-36.22%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-15.51%

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

$106 SAR 398

-0.02%

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

$37.03 SAR 139

$35.14 SAR 132

5.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 SAR 224

$76.9 SAR 289

-22.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.5 SAR 359

$106 SAR 399

-10.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$56.9 SAR 214

$59.9 SAR 225

-4.97%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 SAR 56.8

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-6.72%

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

$392 SAR 1,472

$465 SAR 1,747

-15.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,325 SAR 31.3K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-12.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 SAR 194

$58.3 SAR 219

-11.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 SAR 187

$65.1 SAR 244

-23.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 SAR 340

$110 SAR 413

-17.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.7 SAR 318

$101 SAR 378

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 SAR 1,340

$1,110 SAR 4,167

-67.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,089

$843 SAR 3,164

-65.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$698 SAR 2,620

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-65.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 SAR 1,846

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-56.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$943 SAR 3,541

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-67.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$788 SAR 2,960

$1,938 SAR 7,280

-59.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,281 SAR 8,565

$2,020 SAR 7,588

12.88%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $357 in Qatif and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Qatif vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $225 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $1,758 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $357 in Qatif versus $1,110 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 $49.00 versus $54.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,074 per month in Qatif versus $1,758 in Riyadh – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,074 in Qatif versus $1,758 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 64% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.