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: $1,263 in Rakvere versus $1,059 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,782 in Rakvere versus $1,673 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,301 in Rakvere versus $2,288 in Qatif.

Living in Rakvere is roughly 19% more expensive than Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rakvere 6% lower, Qatif 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 €8.15

$3.41 SAR 12.81

177.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.12 €39.74

$47.01 SAR 176

-1.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 €6.91

$7.87 SAR 29.55

1.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Cappuccino

$3.68 €3.17

$3.55 SAR 13.31

3.66%

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

$2.33 €2.01

$0.82 SAR 3.07

184.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.66

$0.26 SAR 0.98

642.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 €3.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 €3.59

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-37.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.81 SAR 3.02

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 €2.04

$2.01 SAR 7.53

17.91%

Eggs

$2.02 €1.74

$2.33 SAR 8.73

-13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 €7.07

$6.30 SAR 23.62

30.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 €6.06

$7.15 SAR 26.82

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 €8.97

$10.02 SAR 37.61

3.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.09 SAR 7.83

-10.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 €1.11

$1.47 SAR 5.51

-12.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.42 €2.08

$1.40 SAR 5.27

72.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$0.70 SAR 2.64

237.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-21.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 €0.99

$1.38 SAR 5.16

-17.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 €1.46

$1.15 SAR 4.30

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.51 SAR 1.90

19.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.65 SAR 9.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 €5.38

$7.82 SAR 29.33

-20.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 €9.02

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 €1.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 €0.73

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-21.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.23 €20.02

$39.34 SAR 148

-40.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 €2.47

$3.26 SAR 12.24

-11.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 €0.65

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-53.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.65 €17.79

$13.20 SAR 49.52

56.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.59

$0.60 SAR 2.26

206.67%

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

$21.2K €18.3K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-4.69%

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

$25.1K €21.6K

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

26.77%

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

$268 €231

$105 SAR 396

154.64%

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

$22.65 €19.51

$36.22 SAR 136

-37.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.49 €27.13

$61.0 SAR 229

-48.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 €46.25

$95.3 SAR 358

-43.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 €15.94

$57.3 SAR 215

-67.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.32 €4.58

$15.49 SAR 58.1

-65.66%

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

$115 €99.0

$393 SAR 1,476

-70.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,123 €6,999

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

-3.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €102

$52.8 SAR 198

124.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 €29.68

$51.1 SAR 192

-32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 €55.1

$91.3 SAR 343

-29.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 €68.7

$86.2 SAR 323

-7.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 €297

$361 SAR 1,355

-4.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 €248

$290 SAR 1,088

-0.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 €504

$695 SAR 2,606

-15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 €297

$483 SAR 1,811

-28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 SAR 3,612

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$780 SAR 2,927

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,292 €1,113

$2,308 SAR 8,661

-44.03%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Qatif: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Rakvere and $361 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 $214 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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,263 vs $1,059 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Qatif earns 79% less. 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: $345 in Rakvere versus $361 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 $1,263 per month in Rakvere versus $1,059 in Qatif – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,059 in Qatif versus $1,263 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 19% less than in Rakvere. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.