Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabigh and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Rabigh and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,776 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,667 in Rabigh versus $2,477 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,186 in Rabigh versus $3,177 in Riyadh.

Living in Rabigh costs roughly 35% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabigh is 15% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 SAR 14.63

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-51.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.09 SAR 79.1

$52.5 SAR 197

-59.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$8.07 SAR 30.30

-11.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-22.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-66.22%

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-39.65%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.70 SAR 2.64

-8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 SAR 0.42

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-62.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.30 SAR 4.89

-78.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.43 SAR 9.10

-3.70%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$2.66 SAR 9.96

-16.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.48 SAR 20.56

$8.60 SAR 32.28

-36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 SAR 18.55

$10.00 SAR 37.53

-50.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 SAR 47.16

$14.60 SAR 54.8

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-7.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-6.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-12.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-16.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.24 SAR 4.64

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-14.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-25.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.55 SAR 2.07

1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

$7.76 SAR 29.11

-46.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

$1.75 SAR 6.55

6.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

$2.31 SAR 8.65

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-61.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$38.03 SAR 143

5.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$3.24 SAR 12.16

1.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$13.56 SAR 50.9

10.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-6.35%

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

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-22.89%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-3.94%

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

$107 SAR 402

$103 SAR 385

4.45%

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

$32.50 SAR 122

$34.54 SAR 130

-5.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$75.3 SAR 283

-8.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 SAR 326

$105 SAR 395

-17.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 SAR 133

$58.2 SAR 218

-39.21%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-14.25%

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

$401 SAR 1,504

$459 SAR 1,723

-12.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-31.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$60.2 SAR 226

5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$64.2 SAR 241

-8.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 SAR 351

$106 SAR 399

-12.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$100 SAR 376

-17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$1,083 SAR 4,063

-73.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$849 SAR 3,185

-54.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,962

$2,040 SAR 7,654

-74.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,326

$1,126 SAR 4,227

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 SAR 7,526

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

-35.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,232

$1,962 SAR 7,363

-28.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,491

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.31

-15.25%

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

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Rabigh and $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rabigh vs $52.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $225 per month, with Rabigh 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

Rabigh vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabigh is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Eating Out. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,722 in Rabigh and $2,665 in Riyadh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Rabigh 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 $1,148 per month in Rabigh versus $1,776 in Riyadh – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 5% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rabigh is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.