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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Riyadh vs $1,141 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,519 per month in Riyadh vs $1,892 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Riyadh vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

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

Riyadh sits 34% above the global median, while Abha is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.11 SAR 30.41

$5.45 SAR 20.42

48.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 SAR 198

$53.5 SAR 201

-1.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 SAR 30.32

$7.66 SAR 28.72

5.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.35

$1.37 SAR 5.14

62.77%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SAR 15.48

$3.22 SAR 12.08

28.26%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.64 SAR 2.39

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.23 SAR 0.86

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.06

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.52 SAR 1.96

146.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.71

$2.01 SAR 7.54

15.42%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.54

$5.91 SAR 22.15

42.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.93

$8.42 SAR 31.57

20.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 SAR 55.0

$17.17 SAR 64.4

-14.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$1.82 SAR 6.81

21.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.43 SAR 5.35

25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-12.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.20 SAR 4.52

21.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.92 SAR 3.43

52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.54 SAR 2.04

1.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$2.88 SAR 10.79

182.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.52 SAR 5.70

19.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

$1.48 SAR 5.55

60.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$9.56 SAR 35.85

-21.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.79 SAR 2.96

32.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.48 SAR 141

$39.27 SAR 147

-4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$2.58 SAR 9.69

27.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-30.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.13

$13.37 SAR 50.1

-2.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-3.28%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

44.00%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

6.44%

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

$104 SAR 390

$81.9 SAR 307

27.04%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$37.31 SAR 140

-8.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 SAR 287

$54.6 SAR 205

40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$122 SAR 456

-13.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.8 SAR 224

$26.62 SAR 99.8

124.46%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 SAR 59.0

$18.01 SAR 67.6

-12.60%

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

$448 SAR 1,681

$233 SAR 874

92.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

85.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$38.24 SAR 143

57.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$66.8 SAR 250

-2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 402

$178 SAR 669

-39.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 SAR 374

$89.4 SAR 335

11.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SAR 4,135

$349 SAR 1,309

215.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,155

$263 SAR 985

220.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 SAR 7,821

$559 SAR 2,095

273.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,117

$629 SAR 2,360

74.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

$1,053 SAR 3,949

172.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 SAR 7,301

$611 SAR 2,293

218.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,436 SAR 9,136

$2,393 SAR 8,972

1.83%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Riyadh versus $349 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $54.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $224 in Riyadh vs $206 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 $2,685 per month in Riyadh and $1,711 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 9% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh and $54.0 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 $1,141, than in Riyadh at $1,790. 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 $1,141 versus $1,790 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.