😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,790 in Riyadh versus $1,233 in Al-hawiyah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,519 in Riyadh versus $1,887 in Al-hawiyah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Riyadh versus $2,541 in Al-hawiyah.
😐Living in Riyadh is roughly 45% more expensive than Al-hawiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 34% above, Al-hawiyah is 8% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.11SAR 30.41
$6.74SAR 25.29
20.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.9SAR 198
$44.68SAR 168
18.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.08SAR 30.32
$8.14SAR 30.51
-0.74%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72SAR 6.44
$1.70SAR 6.38
1.18%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23SAR 8.35
$1.83SAR 6.87
21.86%
Cappuccino
$4.13SAR 15.48
$3.72SAR 13.95
11.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72SAR 2.72
$0.78SAR 2.94
-7.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.31SAR 1.17
$0.29SAR 1.08
6.90%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62SAR 6.06
$1.63SAR 6.11
-0.61%
White Bread(500g)
$1.28SAR 4.80
$0.96SAR 3.59
33.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.32SAR 8.71
$2.37SAR 8.89
-2.11%
Eggs
$2.69SAR 10.07
$2.51SAR 9.39
7.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.41SAR 31.54
$6.90SAR 25.89
21.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.11SAR 37.93
$7.37SAR 27.64
37.18%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.67SAR 55.0
$13.22SAR 49.59
10.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.22SAR 8.34
$2.19SAR 8.23
1.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.67SAR 6.26
$1.64SAR 6.16
1.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79SAR 6.71
$1.72SAR 6.47
4.07%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.58SAR 5.94
$1.62SAR 6.06
-2.47%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24SAR 4.67
$1.27SAR 4.78
-2.36%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46SAR 5.49
$1.26SAR 4.74
15.87%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40SAR 5.24
$1.23SAR 4.62
13.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55SAR 2.08
$0.55SAR 2.05
-
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$8.15SAR 30.58
$3.21SAR 12.05
153.89%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81SAR 6.78
$1.71SAR 6.42
5.85%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38SAR 8.93
$2.09SAR 7.83
13.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.52SAR 28.22
$6.98SAR 26.19
7.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.05SAR 3.93
$1.05SAR 3.95
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$37.48SAR 141
$40.59SAR 152
-7.66%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.28SAR 12.31
$2.69SAR 10.07
21.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.84SAR 6.92
$1.89SAR 7.08
-2.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.10SAR 49.13
$13.06SAR 48.98
0.31%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.59SAR 2.20
$0.65SAR 2.43
-9.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1KSAR 131.5K
$26.8KSAR 100.6K
30.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8KSAR 89.1K
$21.9KSAR 82.1K
8.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104SAR 390
$107SAR 401
-2.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.30SAR 129
$34.15SAR 128
0.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.4SAR 287
$73.9SAR 277
3.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$106SAR 397
$86.6SAR 325
22.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$59.8SAR 224
$35.74SAR 134
67.18%
Cinema Ticket
$15.74SAR 59.0
$15.46SAR 58.0
1.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$448SAR 1,681
$354SAR 1,328
26.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,716SAR 36.4K
$7,084SAR 26.6K
37.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2SAR 226
$59.5SAR 223
1.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$65.1SAR 244
$61.3SAR 230
6.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107SAR 402
$78.8SAR 296
35.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.7SAR 374
$81.4SAR 305
22.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,103SAR 4,135
$434SAR 1,626
154.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$841SAR 3,155
$383SAR 1,438
119.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,086SAR 7,821
$857SAR 3,215
143.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,098SAR 4,117
$614SAR 2,302
78.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,867SAR 10.8K
$2,659SAR 9,970
7.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,947SAR 7,301
$1,489SAR 5,585
30.73%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Riyadh
Al-hawiyah
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,436SAR 9,136
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.31
4.42
20.14%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Riyadh: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Al-hawiyah: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 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 $45.00 in Al-hawiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $196 per month, with Al-hawiyah cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Riyadh vs Al-hawiyah: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Riyadh and Al-hawiyah?
Riyadh and Al-hawiyah differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,790 vs $1,233 including rent). Al-hawiyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Riyadh compared to Al-hawiyah?
You'd need roughly $2,685 in Riyadh and $1,849 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Riyadh and Al-hawiyah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Riyadh versus $434 in Al-hawiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Al-hawiyah – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $53.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Riyadh or Al-hawiyah?
All in, you'll spend $1,790 per month in Riyadh versus $1,233 in Al-hawiyah – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,233 in Al-hawiyah versus $1,790 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.
How does quality of life compare between Riyadh and Al-hawiyah?
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.
Is Riyadh or Al-hawiyah safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Riyadh or Al-hawiyah?
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.