Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Hufuf Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Hufuf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,042 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,615 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,187 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 67% more than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Al Hufuf is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.75 SAR 25.35

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$48.64 SAR 183

8.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.88 SAR 29.58

2.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.65 SAR 6.18

35.15%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$4.00 SAR 15.02

2.25%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.64 SAR 2.40

10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.22 SAR 0.83

31.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.56 SAR 5.84

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.02 SAR 3.81

25.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.26 SAR 8.50

3.98%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.98 SAR 7.42

37.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$5.59 SAR 20.98

54.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$6.55 SAR 24.58

52.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.58 SAR 51.0

7.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$1.66 SAR 6.24

41.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.62 SAR 6.08

8.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.37 SAR 5.13

35.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.12 SAR 4.20

36.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$0.94 SAR 3.54

37.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.00 SAR 3.75

47.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.35 SAR 5.07

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.88 SAR 10.81

183.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.14 SAR 4.28

108.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.23 SAR 23.38

21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.05 SAR 3.94

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$39.61 SAR 149

-7.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.70 SAR 10.12

21.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.15 SAR 49.35

2.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-1.56%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$35.3K SAR 132.4K

-3.28%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-0.08%

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

$104 SAR 391

$80.8 SAR 303

29.00%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$31.12 SAR 117

10.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$76.8 SAR 288

0.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$142 SAR 534

-26.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$33.20 SAR 125

75.57%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$13.08 SAR 49.09

23.62%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$295 SAR 1,108

54.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$4,132 SAR 15.5K

135.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$12.44 SAR 46.67

378.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$16.13 SAR 60.5

297.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$41.33 SAR 155

158.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$33.74 SAR 127

197.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$355 SAR 1,331

202.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$266 SAR 997

216.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$729 SAR 2,735

178.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$403 SAR 1,512

170.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,353 SAR 8,830

30.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,315 SAR 4,937

46.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$1,935 SAR 7,263

16.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

2.5

112.40%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $355 in Al Hufuf. 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 16% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh versus $49.00 in Al Hufuf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $179 – making Al Hufuf 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 Al Hufuf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riyadh is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,563 in Al Hufuf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Hufuf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh and $49.00 in Al Hufuf. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,739 in Riyadh and $1,042 in Al Hufuf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hufuf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hufuf. 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.