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: $1,753 in Riyadh versus $1,158 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,529 in Riyadh versus $1,781 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Riyadh versus $2,404 in Ar-rass.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 51% more expensive than in 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

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$6.83 SAR 25.66

14.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$45.30 SAR 170

16.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$8.05 SAR 30.25

1.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.71 SAR 6.42

4.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$1.75 SAR 6.56

25.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$3.71 SAR 13.95

7.55%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.73 SAR 2.76

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-33.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.05 SAR 3.96

25.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.51 SAR 5.69

56.95%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$3.61 SAR 13.54

-27.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$7.00 SAR 26.28

17.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.14

$7.51 SAR 28.21

31.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$12.82 SAR 48.15

12.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.25 SAR 8.46

-0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.57 SAR 5.88

7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.69 SAR 6.34

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.29 SAR 4.85

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$1.27 SAR 4.78

18.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.18 SAR 4.41

16.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.55 SAR 2.06

1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$3.18 SAR 11.96

153.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.70 SAR 6.38

4.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.08 SAR 7.80

11.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.68

$6.35 SAR 23.85

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.04 SAR 3.92

5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$40.46 SAR 152

-8.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$2.69 SAR 10.10

20.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.84 SAR 6.92

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$13.20 SAR 49.57

1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.62 SAR 2.34

1.61%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

33.28%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

4.11%

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

$103 SAR 387

$104 SAR 389

-0.45%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$33.38 SAR 125

4.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$73.7 SAR 277

2.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$43.82 SAR 165

145.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$36.06 SAR 135

65.47%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$15.71 SAR 59.0

3.31%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$358 SAR 1,343

27.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$7,014 SAR 26.3K

34.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$21.03 SAR 79.0

183.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$61.3 SAR 230

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 407

$79.7 SAR 299

35.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$83.2 SAR 312

19.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,102

$445 SAR 1,672

145.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,128

$387 SAR 1,453

115.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,540

$388 SAR 1,458

417.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,243

$619 SAR 2,324

82.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$2,547 SAR 9,564

15.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,379

$1,491 SAR 5,598

31.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,883

$1,706 SAR 6,407

23.05%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,092 in Riyadh and $445 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 23% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $45.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,753 vs $1,158 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,092 in Riyadh versus $445 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Riyadh versus $358 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,158 in Ar-rass versus $1,753 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 51% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.