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 $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,194 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,841 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,489 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 47% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.62 SAR 24.88

23.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$44.37 SAR 167

21.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.75 SAR 29.11

2.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-0.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.77 SAR 6.64

30.51%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.64 SAR 13.68

9.34%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.80 SAR 3.01

-3.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.08

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.92 SAR 3.47

44.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.31 SAR 8.67

2.16%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.43 SAR 9.13

10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$7.03 SAR 26.40

20.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.27 SAR 27.29

36.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.88 SAR 48.38

12.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.16 SAR 8.13

7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.65 SAR 6.19

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.75 SAR 6.59

7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.24 SAR 4.67

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.29 SAR 4.84

13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.18 SAR 4.44

21.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.54 SAR 2.04

-3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.77 SAR 10.41

184.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.75 SAR 6.58

2.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.00 SAR 7.51

20.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.07 SAR 26.56

4.81%

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

$40.36 SAR 152

-8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.62 SAR 9.85

22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-4.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.27 SAR 49.85

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.61 SAR 2.27

4.92%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.4K SAR 99.0K

33.14%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

4.75%

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

$106 SAR 398

$107 SAR 400

-0.60%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.61 SAR 126

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$71.4 SAR 268

7.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$86.6 SAR 325

22.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$36.23 SAR 136

65.36%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.59 SAR 58.5

4.04%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$354 SAR 1,331

31.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

38.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.8 SAR 224

-2.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$60.8 SAR 228

7.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$77.7 SAR 292

41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$82.5 SAR 310

21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$434 SAR 1,628

155.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$380 SAR 1,425

122.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$835 SAR 3,137

142.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$615 SAR 2,309

83.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,257 SAR 8,477

28.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,522 SAR 5,716

27.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $434 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $44.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $195 – 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: $1,758 in Riyadh, $1,194 in Al-Ula – roughly 47% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,791 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 $465 per month in Riyadh and $354 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,194, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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 $1,194 in Al-Ula 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-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.