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: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $1,160 in Al-hawiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $1,745 in Al-hawiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $2,330 in Al-hawiyah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 50% more expensive than in Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Al-hawiyah is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$7.65 SAR 28.72

1.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$35.06 SAR 132

84.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.51 SAR 28.19

18.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.87 SAR 7.03

6.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$2.10 SAR 7.88

41.43%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.55 SAR 13.34

19.15%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.75 SAR 2.80

13.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.24 SAR 0.90

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.48 SAR 5.55

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.14 SAR 4.29

9.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.03 SAR 7.61

20.69%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.46 SAR 9.24

29.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$7.50 SAR 28.18

29.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$9.10 SAR 34.18

9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.05 SAR 45.27

25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.43 SAR 9.14

7.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.90 SAR 7.15

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.50 SAR 5.63

57.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-1.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.18 SAR 4.42

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.33 SAR 4.98

7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.10 SAR 4.12

55.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.49 SAR 1.83

20.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$3.08 SAR 11.58

151.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.60 SAR 6.01

15.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$1.87 SAR 7.02

32.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$7.28 SAR 27.35

3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.06 SAR 3.98

2.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$34.68 SAR 130

8.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.53 SAR 9.51

29.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.87 SAR 7.02

1.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$13.31 SAR 49.97

-1.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.68 SAR 2.57

-13.24%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$51.5K SAR 193.2K

-30.27%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-7.07%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$96.1 SAR 361

0.92%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$35.07 SAR 132

-7.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$75.0 SAR 282

-8.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$73.8 SAR 277

21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$36.53 SAR 137

50.40%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$14.42 SAR 54.2

-7.84%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$307 SAR 1,154

73.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$7,609 SAR 28.6K

48.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$56.9 SAR 214

3.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$62.7 SAR 236

-10.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$95.3 SAR 358

11.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$76.5 SAR 287

36.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$579 SAR 2,174

102.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$330 SAR 1,241

151.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$789 SAR 2,963

179.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$596 SAR 2,237

105.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,128 SAR 7,994

37.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,547 SAR 5,811

26.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Al-hawiyah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $579 in Al-hawiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $35.00 in Al-hawiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $203 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 50% in total monthly costs ($1,734 vs $1,160 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,601 in Riyadh and $1,739 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: $1,174 in Riyadh versus $579 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 $35.00 versus $65.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,734 per month in Riyadh versus $1,160 in Al-hawiyah – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,160 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,734 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 50% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.