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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,753 per month in Riyadh vs $1,137 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Riyadh vs $1,912 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Riyadh vs $2,687 in Abha, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 54% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Abha is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$5.28 SAR 19.84

47.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$53.8 SAR 202

-2.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.81 SAR 29.34

4.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$1.38 SAR 5.18

59.42%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$3.06 SAR 11.48

30.39%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.62 SAR 2.35

24.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.21 SAR 0.79

47.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-15.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.48 SAR 1.80

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$1.96 SAR 7.36

20.92%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$5.76 SAR 21.61

42.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.13

$8.63 SAR 32.38

14.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$16.93 SAR 63.6

-14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$1.84 SAR 6.92

21.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.60 SAR 6.01

5.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.46 SAR 5.47

22.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.36 SAR 5.09

-4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

$1.27 SAR 4.76

18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$0.89 SAR 3.36

55.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.58 SAR 2.18

-3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.21

$4.49 SAR 16.87

79.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.59 SAR 5.96

11.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$1.45 SAR 5.45

59.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.67

$9.20 SAR 34.53

-19.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.81 SAR 3.03

35.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$39.30 SAR 148

-6.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$2.71 SAR 10.16

19.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-30.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$13.29 SAR 49.88

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

45.28%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

0.12%

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

$103 SAR 387

$81.8 SAR 307

25.98%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$36.74 SAR 138

-4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$55.1 SAR 207

37.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$121 SAR 453

-10.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$27.01 SAR 101

120.92%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$17.89 SAR 67.2

-9.28%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$236 SAR 885

93.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$5,226 SAR 19.6K

80.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$38.74 SAR 145

53.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$67.5 SAR 253

-5.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 406

$177 SAR 666

-38.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$90.3 SAR 339

9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,101

$361 SAR 1,354

202.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,127

$267 SAR 1,002

212.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,538

$555 SAR 2,084

261.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,242

$640 SAR 2,405

76.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$930 SAR 3,490

217.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,378

$1,312 SAR 4,924

49.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,881

$2,233 SAR 8,382

-5.98%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Abha: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,092 in Riyadh versus $361 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 6% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh versus $54.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $222 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 54% 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 $2,629 per month in Riyadh and $1,705 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 8% 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 $1,137, than in Riyadh at $1,753. 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 $1,137 versus $1,753 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.