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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Riyadh vs $1,046 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Riyadh vs $1,746 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Riyadh vs $2,446 in Abha, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 66% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Abha is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$5.38 SAR 20.20

44.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$51.2 SAR 192

26.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.28 SAR 27.33

21.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.62 SAR 6.08

22.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.29 SAR 4.86

130.23%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.09 SAR 11.62

36.89%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.63 SAR 2.36

34.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.22 SAR 0.82

45.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.62 SAR 6.07

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$0.63 SAR 2.38

98.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$1.99 SAR 7.46

23.12%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.19 SAR 11.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$4.47 SAR 16.80

116.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.53 SAR 28.26

32.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$18.60 SAR 69.8

-18.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.08 SAR 7.81

25.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.99 SAR 7.49

-2.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.55 SAR 5.83

52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.61 SAR 6.06

7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-44.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.26 SAR 4.73

13.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$0.35 SAR 1.30

388.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.51 SAR 1.93

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$4.37 SAR 16.41

77.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.23 SAR 4.60

50.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$1.49 SAR 5.61

65.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$9.13 SAR 34.28

-17.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.80 SAR 3.00

36.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$35.27 SAR 132

6.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.99 SAR 11.23

9.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$2.69 SAR 10.12

-29.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$13.00 SAR 48.82

1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.60 SAR 2.26

-1.67%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$45.1K SAR 169.2K

-20.38%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$19.5K SAR 73.1K

15.05%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$88.1 SAR 331

10.04%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$37.07 SAR 139

-12.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$78.0 SAR 293

-11.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$90.3 SAR 339

-0.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$44.44 SAR 167

23.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$16.08 SAR 60.4

-17.35%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$206 SAR 774

158.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$4,231 SAR 15.9K

167.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$30.71 SAR 115

91.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$71.7 SAR 269

-21.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$96.1 SAR 361

10.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$66.9 SAR 251

56.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$306 SAR 1,150

283.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$252 SAR 945

229.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$537 SAR 2,016

310.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$563 SAR 2,113

117.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$945 SAR 3,549

210.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,315 SAR 4,940

49.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$2,238 SAR 8,405

-8.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

-7.67%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Abha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Riyadh versus $306 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 9% 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 $65.0 in Riyadh versus $51.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $203 – making Abha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 66% 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 $2,601 per month in Riyadh and $1,570 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 18% 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 $65.0 in Riyadh and $51.0 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 $1,046, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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 $1,046 versus $1,734 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.