Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al-hawiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al-hawiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,777 in Riyadh versus $1,223 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,523 in Riyadh versus $1,868 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Riyadh versus $2,512 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 45% more expensive than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 33% above, Al-hawiyah is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 SAR 29.70

$6.47 SAR 24.30

22.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$44.49 SAR 167

19.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.95

$8.12 SAR 30.46

-1.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.72 SAR 6.44

2.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$1.83 SAR 6.88

24.59%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.00

$3.76 SAR 14.11

6.38%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.80 SAR 2.99

-8.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.01 SAR 3.77

26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.27 SAR 8.51

5.73%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.43 SAR 9.13

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.45

$6.90 SAR 25.90

25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 SAR 37.98

$7.58 SAR 28.44

33.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 SAR 55.8

$12.83 SAR 48.16

15.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.24 SAR 8.40

0.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.57 SAR 5.89

12.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

$1.75 SAR 6.58

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.77

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-4.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.23 SAR 4.62

4.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.32 SAR 4.95

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.24 SAR 4.64

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 SAR 30.31

$2.71 SAR 10.16

197.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.69 SAR 6.35

5.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 SAR 8.65

$2.10 SAR 7.87

9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.35

$7.21 SAR 27.05

1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.26 SAR 140

$39.88 SAR 150

-6.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.72

$2.63 SAR 9.88

18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.85 SAR 6.94

1.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-1.64%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

34.04%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

3.50%

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

$106 SAR 398

$107 SAR 403

-1.41%

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

$35.44 SAR 133

$33.80 SAR 127

4.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$71.4 SAR 268

6.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 SAR 390

$87.4 SAR 328

19.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.4 SAR 223

$35.52 SAR 133

67.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 SAR 60.6

$15.69 SAR 58.9

2.80%

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

$456 SAR 1,712

$355 SAR 1,333

28.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,649 SAR 36.2K

$7,055 SAR 26.5K

36.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$60.4 SAR 227

-1.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 SAR 242

$60.1 SAR 226

7.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$79.1 SAR 297

34.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 SAR 369

$82.9 SAR 311

18.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$434 SAR 1,628

147.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 SAR 3,149

$378 SAR 1,418

122.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 SAR 7,667

$839 SAR 3,151

143.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 SAR 4,150

$629 SAR 2,362

75.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 SAR 11.7K

$2,027 SAR 7,606

53.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,928 SAR 7,235

$1,168 SAR 4,382

65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,302 SAR 8,641

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $434 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $44.00 in Al-hawiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $197 per month, with Al-hawiyah cheaper across the board.

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 Al-hawiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Al-hawiyah differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,777 vs $1,223 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,665 in Riyadh and $1,834 in Al-hawiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $434 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-hawiyah – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $53.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,777 per month in Riyadh versus $1,223 in Al-hawiyah – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,223 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,777 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-hawiyah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Al-hawiyah 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, Riyadh and Al-hawiyah 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 Al-hawiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.