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 $1,719 per month in Riyadh vs $1,240 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Riyadh vs $1,880 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,405 per month in Riyadh vs $2,519 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 39% more than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Al Mubarraz is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$7.62 SAR 28.62

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$36.77 SAR 138

73.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$8.03 SAR 30.15

-2.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.05 SAR 7.71

1.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$2.07 SAR 7.79

43.96%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.05

$4.34 SAR 16.29

4.61%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.68 SAR 2.56

22.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.28 SAR 1.06

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-2.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.31 SAR 4.91

-8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-2.56%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$3.20 SAR 12.01

-4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$9.73 SAR 36.56

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$9.65 SAR 36.25

5.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$15.49 SAR 58.2

1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.75 SAR 10.32

-1.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.27 SAR 8.51

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-2.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.19 SAR 4.47

1.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.37 SAR 5.15

-2.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.66 SAR 6.22

1.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.78 SAR 10.44

183.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.75 SAR 6.59

5.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.46 SAR 9.25

5.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$7.48 SAR 28.09

2.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.05 SAR 3.94

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$36.55 SAR 137

1.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.28 SAR 12.30

-3.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.88 SAR 7.05

-3.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.26 SAR 49.82

2.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.28

4.92%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

-2.94%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-1.61%

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

$100 SAR 376

$96.1 SAR 361

4.33%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$32.18 SAR 121

3.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$70.1 SAR 263

-1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$85.7 SAR 322

6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$36.68 SAR 138

52.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-0.37%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$551 SAR 2,070

-2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

-4.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$58.1 SAR 218

2.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$57.2 SAR 215

-6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$110 SAR 413

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$108 SAR 404

-3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$574 SAR 2,157

103.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$347 SAR 1,302

135.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,114

$886 SAR 3,330

143.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$550 SAR 2,066

121.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,371 SAR 8,904

23.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,396 SAR 5,243

38.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,063 SAR 3,992

93.14%

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 Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Riyadh versus $574 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 93% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $37.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries tell a different story – $240 in Riyadh vs $240 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: $1,719 in Riyadh, $1,240 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 39% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,579 per month in Riyadh and $1,860 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 $537 per month in Riyadh and $551 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 $1,240, than in Riyadh at $1,719. 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 $1,240 in Al Mubarraz to $1,719 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.