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: $1,121 in Rabigh versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,674 in Rabigh versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in Rabigh versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Rabigh costs roughly 36% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabigh is 16% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 SAR 15.16

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-48.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 SAR 80.2

$52.6 SAR 198

-59.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.26 SAR 27.25

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-11.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-23.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-65.00%

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.08

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-39.35%

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

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 SAR 0.49

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.61 SAR 6.05

-16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-80.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.61

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-3.38%

Eggs

$2.20 SAR 8.25

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-16.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 SAR 19.63

$8.19 SAR 30.74

-36.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 SAR 17.68

$9.89 SAR 37.13

-52.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 SAR 47.73

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.23 SAR 8.36

-4.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-12.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.60 SAR 5.99

-15.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.30 SAR 4.86

2.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.51 SAR 5.66

-16.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-22.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.56 SAR 2.10

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.49

$8.05 SAR 30.21

-48.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.37

$1.78 SAR 6.68

10.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.50

$2.31 SAR 8.66

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$7.37 SAR 27.67

-64.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.92

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$36.91 SAR 139

7.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.11

$3.25 SAR 12.22

-0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$13.41 SAR 50.3

13.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

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

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-23.70%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-7.47%

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

$107 SAR 403

$103 SAR 387

4.09%

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

$31.87 SAR 120

$34.99 SAR 131

-8.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$75.5 SAR 283

-7.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$108 SAR 404

-19.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.88 SAR 135

$59.7 SAR 224

-39.87%

Cinema Ticket

$13.39 SAR 50.3

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-17.50%

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

$402 SAR 1,508

$457 SAR 1,714

-11.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-31.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.7 SAR 243

$59.6 SAR 224

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$63.5 SAR 238

-8.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.2 SAR 354

$108 SAR 406

-13.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 SAR 319

$99.0 SAR 372

-14.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 SAR 1,064

$1,092 SAR 4,101

-74.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 SAR 1,453

$833 SAR 3,127

-53.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$2,008 SAR 7,538

-73.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,334

$1,130 SAR 4,242

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

-9.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,488 SAR 5,585

$1,965 SAR 7,378

-24.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,881

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Rabigh and $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rabigh vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $222 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,681 in Rabigh and $2,629 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: $284 in Rabigh versus $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,121 per month in Rabigh versus $1,753 in Riyadh – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,121 in Rabigh versus $1,753 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 56% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.