Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,776 in Riyadh versus $1,171 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Riyadh versus $1,786 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Riyadh versus $2,400 in Ar-rass.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 52% more expensive than Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Ar-rass is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.85 SAR 25.69

17.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$43.87 SAR 165

19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.29

$7.89 SAR 29.59

2.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.78 SAR 6.69

-4.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.75 SAR 6.58

28.57%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$3.65 SAR 13.68

9.86%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.74 SAR 2.77

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$2.34 SAR 8.80

-30.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.01 SAR 3.80

28.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.10

$1.56 SAR 5.85

55.77%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.96

$3.56 SAR 13.37

-25.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.27

$6.89 SAR 25.86

24.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.53

$7.64 SAR 28.66

30.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$12.85 SAR 48.21

13.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.16 SAR 8.10

8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.63 SAR 6.12

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.69 SAR 6.35

6.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.56 SAR 5.85

-0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.25 SAR 4.69

-0.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.27 SAR 4.76

14.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.24 SAR 4.66

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$2.40 SAR 8.99

223.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-1.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$2.10 SAR 7.87

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.74

$6.42 SAR 24.10

11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.09 SAR 4.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$40.24 SAR 151

-5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.16

$2.69 SAR 10.10

20.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-2.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$13.18 SAR 49.46

2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.24

5.00%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

32.40%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

2.50%

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

$103 SAR 385

$107 SAR 401

-3.99%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$34.28 SAR 129

0.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$72.7 SAR 273

3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 395

$44.14 SAR 166

138.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 218

$36.14 SAR 136

61.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$15.61 SAR 58.6

1.15%

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

$459 SAR 1,723

$350 SAR 1,311

31.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$7,049 SAR 26.5K

33.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$20.95 SAR 78.6

187.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$61.0 SAR 229

5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$78.4 SAR 294

35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$81.4 SAR 305

23.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,063

$434 SAR 1,627

149.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,185

$387 SAR 1,454

119.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,654

$379 SAR 1,421

438.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,227

$628 SAR 2,358

79.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$2,384 SAR 8,946

31.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

$1,325 SAR 4,971

48.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

$1,719 SAR 6,452

31.60%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Riyadh and $434 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Riyadh vs $44.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $205 per month, with Ar-rass cheaper across the board.

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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Ar-rass differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,776 vs $1,171 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,083 in Riyadh versus $434 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $459 in Riyadh versus $350 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,171 in Ar-rass versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Ar-rass are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.