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: $1,252 in Rakvere versus $1,087 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,763 in Rakvere versus $1,707 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Rakvere versus $2,328 in Qatif.

Living in Rakvere is roughly 15% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rakvere 6% lower, Qatif 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 €8.06

$3.44 SAR 12.93

168.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 €39.69

$47.42 SAR 178

-4.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 €7.10

$8.05 SAR 30.22

1.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.64 €3.18

$3.66 SAR 13.72

-0.55%

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

$2.33 €2.03

$0.77 SAR 2.91

202.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.26 SAR 0.97

638.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 €4.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 €3.44

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.94

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-34.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.81 SAR 3.04

2.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.97

$2.03 SAR 7.64

11.33%

Eggs

$2.06 €1.79

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-11.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 €7.22

$6.03 SAR 22.63

37.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 €6.06

$7.38 SAR 27.71

-5.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.59 €9.23

$9.67 SAR 36.29

9.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 €1.72

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-7.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 €1.16

$1.48 SAR 5.56

-10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.44 SAR 5.41

64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.46 €2.14

$0.75 SAR 2.83

228.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 €0.87

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 €0.99

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 €1.55

$1.10 SAR 4.13

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.53

$0.55 SAR 2.08

10.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 €5.51

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-17.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 €9.04

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 €1.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.03 €20.08

$39.26 SAR 147

-41.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 €2.48

$3.12 SAR 11.71

-8.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.62

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-56.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.22 €17.62

$13.22 SAR 49.63

52.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 €1.62

$0.65 SAR 2.43

184.62%

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

$20.8K €18.1K

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

-7.94%

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

$25.7K €22.4K

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

30.57%

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

$274 €239

$104 SAR 392

162.80%

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

$22.76 €19.85

$37.20 SAR 140

-38.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.35 €27.33

$59.6 SAR 224

-47.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 €47.93

$94.2 SAR 354

-41.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 €15.91

$56.9 SAR 214

-67.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 €4.48

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-66.54%

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

$113 €98.9

$405 SAR 1,521

-72.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,147 €7,103

$8,110 SAR 30.4K

0.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$119 €104

$51.3 SAR 192

132.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 €30.09

$50.9 SAR 191

-32.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 €55.7

$91.5 SAR 343

-30.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 €71.3

$85.8 SAR 322

-4.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 €297

$360 SAR 1,351

-5.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 €249

$281 SAR 1,054

1.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 €496

$717 SAR 2,692

-20.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 €300

$486 SAR 1,826

-29.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$949 SAR 3,562

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$796 SAR 2,990

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,255 €1,094

$2,248 SAR 8,438

-44.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.3

4.33

-46.88%

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

Last update for Rakvere: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Rakvere and $360 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Rakvere vs $47.00 in Qatif. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $173, with Qatif cheaper for home cooking.

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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,252 vs $1,087 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 79% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $340 in Rakvere versus $360 in Qatif. 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 $47.00 versus $46.00 in Rakvere. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,252 per month in Rakvere versus $1,087 in Qatif – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,087 in Qatif versus $1,252 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 15% less than in Rakvere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.