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 $1,736 per month in Riyadh vs $1,116 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Riyadh vs $1,729 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Riyadh vs $2,343 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 56% more than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Al Hufuf is 19% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$6.56 SAR 24.63

17.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$52.4 SAR 197

22.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$7.32 SAR 27.49

14.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.58 SAR 5.92

14.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$1.63 SAR 6.13

74.23%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$3.82 SAR 14.33

14.66%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.63 SAR 2.37

36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.30 SAR 1.13

13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.66 SAR 6.22

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$0.82 SAR 3.06

60.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-6.92%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.17 SAR 8.14

50.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$6.51 SAR 24.44

46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.80

$7.91 SAR 29.69

23.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.57 SAR 5.91

71.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.69 SAR 6.33

12.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.32 SAR 4.94

75.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.09 SAR 4.08

57.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.08 SAR 4.07

2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$0.81 SAR 3.05

71.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.36 SAR 5.11

25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.58 SAR 2.18

1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$2.91 SAR 10.91

175.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.87 SAR 7.04

-3.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-5.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$6.84 SAR 25.69

6.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.04 SAR 3.89

0.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$35.98 SAR 135

3.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$3.26 SAR 12.24

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.93

$13.39 SAR 50.3

-0.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.60 SAR 2.27

-1.67%

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

$35.4K SAR 132.9K

$35.8K SAR 134.4K

-1.07%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-1.82%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$97.5 SAR 366

-1.93%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$31.77 SAR 119

0.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$70.3 SAR 264

-0.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$106 SAR 397

-13.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$36.59 SAR 137

49.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$14.09 SAR 52.9

-2.34%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$532 SAR 1,999

1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$11.1K SAR 41.5K

0.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$17.46 SAR 65.6

243.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$18.50 SAR 69.5

215.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$42.50 SAR 160

160.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$31.50 SAR 118

230.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,463

$588 SAR 2,207

102.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,194

$346 SAR 1,299

145.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,173

$869 SAR 3,262

150.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$543 SAR 2,038

134.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$2,393 SAR 8,985

23.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$1,397 SAR 5,245

35.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,901

$1,936 SAR 7,268

8.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,189 in Riyadh versus $588 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 9% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $52.0 in Al Hufuf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $194 – 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 56%, 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 $2,604 per month in Riyadh and $1,674 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 $64.0 in Riyadh and $52.0 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 $1,736 in Riyadh and $1,116 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 $1,116, than in Riyadh at $1,736. 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.