Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Mubarraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al Mubarraz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,270 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,965 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,660 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 38% more than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Al Mubarraz is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$7.48 SAR 28.08

9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$37.94 SAR 142

41.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.12 SAR 26.72

11.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-1.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.18 SAR 8.18

5.96%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$4.00 SAR 15.03

-0.50%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.66 SAR 2.47

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.19 SAR 0.72

63.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.68 SAR 6.29

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.26 SAR 4.73

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-2.88%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.65 SAR 9.93

1.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$8.36 SAR 31.39

1.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$10.16 SAR 38.15

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$14.49 SAR 54.4

0.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.31 SAR 8.69

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.67 SAR 6.28

4.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.86 SAR 6.99

1.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.55 SAR 5.80

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-2.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-0.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.53 SAR 1.97

-1.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.79 SAR 10.48

182.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.80 SAR 6.75

-0.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-0.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.52 SAR 28.24

-1.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.33 SAR 151

-8.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$3.29 SAR 12.37

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.91 SAR 7.19

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-1.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.54 SAR 2.04

18.52%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

77.02%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$23.6K SAR 88.5K

-0.52%

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

$106 SAR 398

$104 SAR 392

1.33%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$35.57 SAR 134

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$75.3 SAR 283

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$87.7 SAR 329

21.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.03 SAR 132

71.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.69 SAR 58.9

3.38%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$452 SAR 1,697

2.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$9,474 SAR 35.6K

0.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.6 SAR 224

-2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$63.5 SAR 239

2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$107 SAR 401

3.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$99.6 SAR 374

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$438 SAR 1,644

153.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$381 SAR 1,429

121.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$848 SAR 3,184

138.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$632 SAR 2,375

78.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,117 SAR 7,948

37.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,437 SAR 5,398

34.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,073 SAR 4,028

88.38%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $438 in Al Mubarraz. 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 88% 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 $38.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Riyadh vs $225 in Al Mubarraz – so Riyadh 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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh, $1,270 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 38% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,905 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Riyadh and $452 in Al Mubarraz. 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Mubarraz, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Riyadh at $1,758. In Al Mubarraz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Riyadh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,270 in Al Mubarraz to $1,758 in Riyadh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mubarraz. 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.