Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al-Ula Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Al-Ula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,736 per month in Riyadh vs $1,169 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Riyadh vs $1,767 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Riyadh vs $2,365 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 49% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$6.84 SAR 25.69

12.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$36.74 SAR 138

75.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$8.02 SAR 30.10

4.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.61 SAR 6.05

12.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$1.98 SAR 7.44

43.43%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$3.39 SAR 12.74

29.20%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.88 SAR 3.30

-2.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.24 SAR 0.90

41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.66 SAR 6.23

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.02 SAR 3.84

29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.22 SAR 8.33

9.01%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.35 SAR 8.81

39.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$7.41 SAR 27.82

28.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$7.80 SAR 29.28

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$12.87 SAR 48.33

16.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.15 SAR 8.08

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.68 SAR 6.32

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.59 SAR 5.98

45.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.67 SAR 6.25

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.15 SAR 4.30

-3.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.31 SAR 4.92

6.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.14 SAR 4.28

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.59 SAR 2.20

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$2.86 SAR 10.73

180.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.69 SAR 6.34

6.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.10 SAR 7.89

17.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$6.60 SAR 24.78

10.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.07 SAR 4.02

-1.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$36.60 SAR 137

1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$3.01 SAR 11.29

8.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.27 SAR 49.84

0.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

-22.37%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

4.51%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$102 SAR 382

-6.07%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$32.80 SAR 123

-2.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$66.9 SAR 251

4.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$83.1 SAR 312

10.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$36.63 SAR 138

49.63%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$13.43 SAR 50.4

2.46%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$342 SAR 1,284

57.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

68.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$50.8 SAR 191

17.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$59.3 SAR 223

-1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$96.4 SAR 362

14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$88.7 SAR 333

17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$571 SAR 2,142

108.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$346 SAR 1,300

145.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$872 SAR 3,273

149.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$553 SAR 2,077

130.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$2,347 SAR 8,812

25.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$1,379 SAR 5,179

37.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,189 in Riyadh versus $571 in Al-Ula. 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 $37.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $198 – making Al-Ula the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,736 in Riyadh, $1,169 in Al-Ula – roughly 49% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,604 per month in Riyadh and $1,753 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Riyadh and $342 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Riyadh at $1,736. In Al-Ula 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 $1,169 in Al-Ula to $1,736 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-Ula. 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.