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 $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,301 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,968 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,635 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 34% more than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Al Mubarraz is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$7.48 SAR 28.08

9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$39.01 SAR 146

35.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.10 SAR 26.64

14.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$2.17 SAR 8.14

2.76%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-0.73%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.64 SAR 2.39

10.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.17 SAR 0.65

70.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.33 SAR 4.97

-3.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.61 SAR 9.81

4.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$8.63 SAR 32.40

0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$10.14 SAR 38.05

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$14.87 SAR 55.8

-2.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.24 SAR 8.43

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.74 SAR 6.54

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.79 SAR 6.73

3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.24 SAR 4.64

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.45 SAR 5.44

1.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.41 SAR 5.28

2.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.53 SAR 1.98

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.81 SAR 10.53

190.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.79 SAR 6.73

-4.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.44 SAR 27.92

1.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.09 SAR 4.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.01 SAR 150

-8.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$3.25 SAR 12.20

0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.54 SAR 2.01

16.67%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

71.34%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.5K SAR 88.0K

-0.15%

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

$104 SAR 391

$105 SAR 395

-1.04%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$35.26 SAR 132

-2.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$75.4 SAR 283

2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$89.1 SAR 334

17.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.02 SAR 131

66.45%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.68 SAR 58.9

3.13%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$464 SAR 1,742

-1.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$9,567 SAR 35.9K

1.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.4 SAR 223

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$65.1 SAR 244

-1.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$107 SAR 402

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$98.6 SAR 370

1.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$439 SAR 1,649

143.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$374 SAR 1,404

124.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$843 SAR 3,163

140.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$611 SAR 2,295

78.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,358 SAR 8,850

30.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,336 SAR 5,012

44.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$1,047 SAR 3,930

115.07%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $439 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 115% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Riyadh vs $227 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: $1,739 in Riyadh, $1,301 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 34% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,952 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 $457 per month in Riyadh and $464 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Riyadh – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Mubarraz, where all-in costs run around $1,301, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $1,301 in Al Mubarraz to $1,739 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.