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 $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,197 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,832 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,467 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.71 SAR 25.18

22.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.97 SAR 169

17.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.82 SAR 29.34

3.71%

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

$1.82 SAR 6.84

22.53%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.74 SAR 14.02

9.36%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.80 SAR 3.02

-11.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.68 SAR 6.31

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.95 SAR 3.56

34.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.31 SAR 8.69

1.73%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.40 SAR 9.01

13.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.67 SAR 25.02

29.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.71 SAR 28.94

29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.05 SAR 48.97

11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.27 SAR 8.52

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.59 SAR 5.95

10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.68 SAR 6.30

10.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.24 SAR 4.66

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.27 SAR 4.75

15.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.23 SAR 4.63

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-11.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.87 SAR 10.78

184.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.06 SAR 7.74

15.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.19 SAR 26.98

4.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.67 SAR 153

-9.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.62 SAR 9.82

25.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-2.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.61 SAR 2.29

3.28%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

26.62%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

3.06%

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

$104 SAR 391

$103 SAR 388

0.73%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$33.67 SAR 126

1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$71.7 SAR 269

7.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$86.9 SAR 326

20.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.90 SAR 135

62.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.87 SAR 59.5

1.89%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$354 SAR 1,330

28.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

40.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$60.2 SAR 226

-1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$59.2 SAR 222

8.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$78.7 SAR 295

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$83.3 SAR 313

20.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$444 SAR 1,667

141.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$374 SAR 1,405

124.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$863 SAR 3,238

134.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$615 SAR 2,309

77.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,395 SAR 8,988

28.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,347 SAR 5,057

43.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $444 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $45.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $197 – 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: $1,739 in Riyadh, $1,197 in Al-Ula – roughly 45% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,796 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 $457 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 15% 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 $1,197, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula 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-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.