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 $1,777 per month in Riyadh vs $1,222 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,523 per month in Riyadh vs $1,895 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,269 per month in Riyadh vs $2,568 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 33% above the global median, while Al Majma'ah is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$7.86 SAR 29.49

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$54.2 SAR 203

-1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$8.20 SAR 30.77

-2.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$2.20 SAR 8.24

3.64%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 14.99

$4.12 SAR 15.48

-2.91%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.71 SAR 2.65

2.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.51 SAR 5.67

6.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.65 SAR 2.45

96.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.24 SAR 8.41

7.14%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.26 SAR 8.46

16.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$8.39 SAR 31.49

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 SAR 37.98

$6.61 SAR 24.81

53.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 SAR 55.8

$11.95 SAR 44.85

24.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.20 SAR 8.24

2.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.68 SAR 6.32

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

$1.48 SAR 5.57

21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.77

$1.52 SAR 5.70

1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.69 SAR 2.60

85.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$0.91 SAR 3.40

67.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.51 SAR 1.93

1.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 SAR 30.30

$2.74 SAR 10.28

194.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.73 SAR 6.48

3.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 SAR 8.65

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.35

$7.52 SAR 28.22

-3.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.26 SAR 140

$39.74 SAR 149

-6.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.72

$3.16 SAR 11.87

-1.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$13.55 SAR 50.8

-1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.22

1.69%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$34.6K SAR 129.8K

1.86%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$23.6K SAR 88.6K

-2.08%

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

$106 SAR 398

$102 SAR 384

3.42%

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

$35.44 SAR 133

$34.87 SAR 131

1.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$76.0 SAR 285

0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 SAR 390

$88.0 SAR 330

18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.4 SAR 223

$35.19 SAR 132

68.83%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 SAR 60.5

$16.01 SAR 60.1

0.75%

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

$456 SAR 1,711

$448 SAR 1,681

1.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,649 SAR 36.2K

$9,734 SAR 36.5K

-0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$59.4 SAR 223

0.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 SAR 242

$65.2 SAR 245

-1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$110 SAR 412

-3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 SAR 369

$98.8 SAR 371

-0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$435 SAR 1,633

146.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 SAR 3,148

$379 SAR 1,422

121.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 SAR 7,666

$851 SAR 3,194

140.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 SAR 4,149

$627 SAR 2,353

76.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 SAR 11.7K

$2,550 SAR 9,568

21.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,928 SAR 7,234

$1,427 SAR 5,354

35.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,302 SAR 8,640

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $435 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 $54.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $226 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 45% 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 $2,665 per month in Riyadh and $1,833 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 $456 per month in Riyadh and $448 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 22% 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 $1,222, than in Riyadh at $1,777. 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 $1,222 versus $1,777 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.