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 $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,037 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,612 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,186 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 69% more than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Al Hufuf is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.83 SAR 25.66

19.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$49.02 SAR 184

9.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.83 SAR 29.42

1.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.78 SAR 6.67

-5.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.56 SAR 5.87

48.08%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.96 SAR 14.88

0.51%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.70 SAR 2.62

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.20 SAR 0.75

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.63 SAR 6.11

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.96 SAR 3.59

38.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.36 SAR 8.86

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.98 SAR 7.44

35.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$5.71 SAR 21.46

48.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$6.34 SAR 23.82

56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$13.87 SAR 52.1

4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$1.71 SAR 6.42

35.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.55 SAR 5.84

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.37 SAR 5.14

37.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.16 SAR 4.37

37.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.01 SAR 3.78

23.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.03 SAR 3.86

41.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.31 SAR 4.93

9.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.51 SAR 1.93

1.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.98 SAR 11.18

164.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.15 SAR 4.30

109.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.46 SAR 24.24

14.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.69 SAR 153

-9.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.59 SAR 9.72

24.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-4.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.11 SAR 49.23

0.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

-0.61%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$23.3K SAR 87.4K

0.74%

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

$106 SAR 398

$80.2 SAR 301

32.01%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$31.16 SAR 117

12.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$75.7 SAR 284

1.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$143 SAR 538

-25.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$33.35 SAR 125

79.64%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$13.22 SAR 49.65

22.69%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$297 SAR 1,116

56.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$4,069 SAR 15.3K

134.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$12.64 SAR 47.45

361.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$15.98 SAR 60.0

307.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$40.91 SAR 154

169.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$33.46 SAR 126

200.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$357 SAR 1,339

211.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$271 SAR 1,016

211.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$721 SAR 2,709

180.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$400 SAR 1,504

181.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,014 SAR 7,565

44.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,388 SAR 5,214

39.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,976 SAR 7,421

2.24%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $357 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 2% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $49.00 in Al Hufuf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 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 69%, 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 $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,556 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 $54.0 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 $1,758 in Riyadh and $1,037 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 $1,037, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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.