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 $1,719 per month in Riyadh vs $1,232 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Riyadh vs $1,961 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,405 per month in Riyadh vs $2,690 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 40% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Al Majma'ah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$7.89 SAR 29.64

-0.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$64.7 SAR 243

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$8.89 SAR 33.39

-11.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.90 SAR 7.15

10.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$3.01 SAR 11.30

-1.00%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.05

$4.41 SAR 16.55

2.95%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-12.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.31 SAR 1.18

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.66 SAR 6.24

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-9.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-4.20%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$3.24 SAR 12.18

-5.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$9.63 SAR 36.16

4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$9.56 SAR 35.91

6.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$15.60 SAR 58.6

0.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-0.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.38 SAR 8.96

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-2.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.19 SAR 4.46

1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-1.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-1.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.75 SAR 10.34

186.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.82 SAR 6.85

1.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.45 SAR 9.20

5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$7.43 SAR 27.91

2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.05 SAR 3.93

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$35.52 SAR 133

4.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.15 SAR 11.84

0.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.52 SAR 50.8

0.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.64 SAR 2.40

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$35.9K SAR 135.0K

-1.84%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-2.27%

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

$100 SAR 376

$94.3 SAR 354

6.29%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$32.85 SAR 123

1.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$69.0 SAR 259

0.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$83.9 SAR 315

8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$37.05 SAR 139

50.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.26 SAR 49.82

1.58%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$540 SAR 2,028

-0.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$11.1K SAR 41.6K

-2.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.2 SAR 222

0.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$57.2 SAR 215

-6.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$106 SAR 398

4.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$108 SAR 407

-4.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$581 SAR 2,182

101.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$351 SAR 1,317

132.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,114

$877 SAR 3,294

146.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$540 SAR 2,027

125.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,320 SAR 8,716

26.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,378 SAR 5,176

40.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Riyadh versus $581 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $65.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Riyadh vs $239 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 40% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,579 per month in Riyadh and $1,848 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 $537 per month in Riyadh and $540 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 0% 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 $1,232, than in Riyadh at $1,719. 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 $1,232 versus $1,719 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.