Cost of Living Comparison Between Rakvere and Qatif Cost of Living Comparison Between Rakvere and Qatif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,084 in Rakvere versus $1,062 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,665 in Rakvere versus $1,633 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,245 in Rakvere versus $2,204 in Qatif.

Living in Rakvere is roughly 2% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rakvere 21% lower, Qatif 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 €9.99

$3.48 SAR 13.07

233.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.7 €58.4

$35.14 SAR 132

92.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.66 €10.05

$6.85 SAR 25.72

70.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

Cappuccino

$3.98 €3.43

$3.09 SAR 11.60

28.80%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.78 SAR 2.91

219.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.17 SAR 0.64

876.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.79 €4.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 €4.08

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-59.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 €1.67

$0.97 SAR 3.63

98.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.94 SAR 7.30

27.32%

Eggs

$2.01 €1.73

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 €11.30

$5.77 SAR 21.65

127.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.01 €6.05

$7.72 SAR 29.01

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.56 €3.93

$12.62 SAR 47.38

-63.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.19 SAR 8.21

1.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.66 SAR 6.25

30.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$0.66 SAR 2.47

286.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 €0.66

$1.11 SAR 4.18

-31.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 €0.47

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-50.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.95 SAR 3.57

106.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.07

$0.54 SAR 2.04

129.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.15

$6.52 SAR 24.48

9.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.50 €9.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 €1.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 €2.09

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.90

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 SAR 135

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 €3.13

$2.44 SAR 9.18

48.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 €0.92

$0.55 SAR 2.07

94.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.37 €24.46

$13.48 SAR 50.6

110.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.62 SAR 2.31

216.13%

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

$29.4K €25.4K

$36.5K SAR 136.9K

-19.28%

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

$31.9K €27.5K

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

53.22%

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

$324 €279

$104 SAR 391

211.09%

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

$18.46 €15.91

$33.14 SAR 124

-44.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.48 €30.59

$58.2 SAR 219

-39.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 €49.92

$85.7 SAR 322

-32.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.69 €20.42

$37.42 SAR 141

-36.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 €7.13

$13.22 SAR 49.65

-37.44%

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

$448 €386

$268 SAR 1,008

66.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K €10.7K

$7,967 SAR 29.9K

55.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$113 €97.7

$31.97 SAR 120

254.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.87 €42.99

$21.72 SAR 81.6

129.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €92.6

$95.1 SAR 357

12.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €105

$91.5 SAR 344

32.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 SAR 2,222

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,303

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 SAR 3,362

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 SAR 2,073

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$954 SAR 3,582

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$790 SAR 2,966

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,266 €1,092

$2,279 SAR 8,560

-44.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.93

5.5

-28.55%

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

Last update for Rakvere: September 7, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Qatif pays 80% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Rakvere vs $35.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $184 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

Rakvere vs Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rakvere and Qatif differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,084 vs $1,062 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 80% lower in Qatif. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Rakvere. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,084 per month in Rakvere versus $1,062 in Qatif – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,062 in Qatif versus $1,084 in Rakvere, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Rakvere. 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, Rakvere and Qatif 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 2% less than in Rakvere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.