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: $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,770 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Rabigh versus $2,504 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,202 in Rabigh versus $3,239 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 14% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 SAR 14.81

$8.12 SAR 30.46

-51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.47 SAR 80.5

$53.0 SAR 199

-59.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 SAR 27.38

$8.11 SAR 30.43

-9.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.12

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-22.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$2.24 SAR 8.39

-66.07%

Cappuccino

$2.47 SAR 9.25

$4.15 SAR 15.56

-40.48%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.61

$0.76 SAR 2.85

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 SAR 0.46

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-58.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.63 SAR 6.09

-17.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-79.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.45 SAR 9.19

-5.71%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.31

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-17.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 SAR 19.74

$8.65 SAR 32.44

-39.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 SAR 17.88

$10.17 SAR 38.13

-53.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 SAR 47.47

$14.72 SAR 55.2

-13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.26 SAR 8.46

-7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.80 SAR 6.74

-10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.53 SAR 5.75

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.30 SAR 4.86

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.52 SAR 5.69

-17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.99

$1.38 SAR 5.18

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.56 SAR 2.10

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

$8.15 SAR 30.57

-48.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.41

$1.74 SAR 6.51

13.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.49

$2.42 SAR 9.07

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$7.23 SAR 27.12

-62.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 SAR 148

$37.73 SAR 141

4.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.77

$3.25 SAR 12.20

-3.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-3.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 SAR 57.2

$13.50 SAR 50.6

12.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.22

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-22.79%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.7K

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

-9.79%

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

$105 SAR 393

$106 SAR 398

-1.30%

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

$32.00 SAR 120

$35.49 SAR 133

-9.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$75.5 SAR 283

-8.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 SAR 323

$108 SAR 404

-20.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 SAR 133

$58.7 SAR 220

-39.50%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 SAR 49.32

$15.69 SAR 58.8

-16.19%

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

$409 SAR 1,533

$449 SAR 1,685

-9.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,615 SAR 24.8K

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

-30.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 SAR 240

$58.5 SAR 219

9.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 SAR 220

$63.8 SAR 239

-7.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 SAR 350

$108 SAR 405

-13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 SAR 316

$98.5 SAR 369

-14.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 SAR 1,061

$1,098 SAR 4,118

-74.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,424

$855 SAR 3,206

-55.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 SAR 1,985

$2,070 SAR 7,762

-74.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,370

$1,132 SAR 4,246

-44.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 SAR 7,634

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

-30.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 SAR 4,450

$1,910 SAR 7,163

-37.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 SAR 8,947

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Rabigh and $1,098 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21 in Rabigh vs $53 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $226 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,729 in Rabigh and $2,654 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: $283 in Rabigh versus $1,098 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,153 per month in Rabigh versus $1,770 in Riyadh – a 54% 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 $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,770 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 54% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.