Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,776 per month in Riyadh vs $1,134 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,477 per month in Riyadh vs $1,921 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Riyadh vs $2,709 in Abha, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 57% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Abha is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$5.25 SAR 19.68

53.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$53.1 SAR 199

-1.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.29

$7.92 SAR 29.72

1.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.38 SAR 5.19

63.04%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$3.11 SAR 11.67

28.94%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.59 SAR 2.20

18.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.23 SAR 0.87

26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-11.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$0.48 SAR 1.80

170.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.10

$2.06 SAR 7.72

17.96%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.96

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.27

$5.81 SAR 21.80

48.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.53

$8.83 SAR 33.14

13.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$16.66 SAR 62.5

-12.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.86 SAR 6.97

26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.61 SAR 6.04

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.47 SAR 5.51

22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-8.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-12.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.22 SAR 4.58

19.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$0.91 SAR 3.42

60.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$4.36 SAR 16.38

77.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.53 SAR 5.73

14.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$1.46 SAR 5.48

58.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.74

$9.44 SAR 35.41

-24.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.80 SAR 3.00

36.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$40.67 SAR 153

-6.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.16

$2.74 SAR 10.27

18.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$2.71 SAR 10.17

-32.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$13.28 SAR 49.82

2.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$24.6K SAR 92.4K

42.59%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

0.38%

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

$103 SAR 385

$82.2 SAR 309

24.72%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$37.47 SAR 141

-7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$54.0 SAR 202

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 395

$121 SAR 453

-12.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 218

$27.13 SAR 102

114.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$18.02 SAR 67.6

-12.38%

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

$459 SAR 1,723

$238 SAR 892

93.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$5,340 SAR 20.0K

76.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$38.22 SAR 143

57.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$66.4 SAR 249

-3.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$179 SAR 670

-40.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$88.6 SAR 333

13.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,063

$352 SAR 1,322

207.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,185

$265 SAR 994

220.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,654

$556 SAR 2,085

267.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,227

$637 SAR 2,390

76.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$2,403 SAR 9,016

30.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

$1,312 SAR 4,924

49.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

$2,218 SAR 8,322

2.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.67

-6.35%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Abha: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,083 in Riyadh versus $352 in Abha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Riyadh versus $53.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Riyadh vs $205 in Abha – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Riyadh vs Abha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 57% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,665 per month in Riyadh and $1,701 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Riyadh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Riyadh and $53.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,134, than in Riyadh at $1,776. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,134 versus $1,776 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.