Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Majma'ah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Majma'ah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,753 per month in Riyadh vs $1,221 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Riyadh vs $1,927 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Riyadh vs $2,633 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 43% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Al Majma'ah is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$7.92 SAR 29.75

-1.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$53.0 SAR 199

-0.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.79 SAR 29.24

4.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.77 SAR 6.65

0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-5.17%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$4.05 SAR 15.22

-1.48%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.77 SAR 2.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.43 SAR 5.38

12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.66 SAR 2.48

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.27 SAR 8.53

4.41%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.29 SAR 8.58

14.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$8.66 SAR 32.51

-5.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.14

$6.62 SAR 24.88

49.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$11.58 SAR 43.50

24.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.21 SAR 8.30

0.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.50 SAR 5.63

19.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.59 SAR 5.96

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.69 SAR 2.58

88.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$0.97 SAR 3.63

55.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-4.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.52 SAR 1.97

7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$2.80 SAR 10.53

187.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.73 SAR 6.48

2.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.43 SAR 9.12

-4.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.68

$7.46 SAR 28.00

-1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.08 SAR 4.06

1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$40.59 SAR 152

-9.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$3.28 SAR 12.32

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.90 SAR 7.13

0.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$13.29 SAR 49.91

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$35.1K SAR 131.9K

0.32%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$23.7K SAR 89.1K

-2.48%

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

$103 SAR 387

$103 SAR 386

0.29%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$34.75 SAR 130

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$74.9 SAR 281

0.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$86.4 SAR 325

24.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$35.51 SAR 133

68.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$15.93 SAR 59.8

1.88%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$460 SAR 1,728

-0.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$9,463 SAR 35.5K

-0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$59.3 SAR 223

0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$63.7 SAR 239

-0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 407

$108 SAR 406

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$97.6 SAR 367

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,102

$439 SAR 1,649

148.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,128

$374 SAR 1,404

122.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,540

$867 SAR 3,255

131.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,243

$614 SAR 2,307

83.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$2,503 SAR 9,398

18.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,379

$1,378 SAR 5,174

42.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,883

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,092 in Riyadh versus $439 in Al Majma'ah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh versus $53.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Riyadh vs $184 in Al Majma'ah – so Al Majma'ah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 43% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,629 per month in Riyadh and $1,832 in Al Majma'ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Riyadh and $460 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Riyadh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Majma'ah, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Riyadh at $1,753. In Al Majma'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Majma'ah costs $1,221 versus $1,753 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Majma'ah. 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.