Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Buraydah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Buraydah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,776 per month in Riyadh vs $1,184 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,477 per month in Riyadh vs $1,991 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Riyadh vs $2,797 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 50% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Buraydah is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$12.42 SAR 46.59

-35.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$40.45 SAR 152

29.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.29

$7.16 SAR 26.88

12.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.65 SAR 6.18

3.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.44 SAR 5.42

56.25%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$3.69 SAR 13.85

8.67%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.79 SAR 2.95

-11.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.26 SAR 0.97

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.08 SAR 4.05

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.10

$2.51 SAR 9.41

-3.19%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.96

$2.62 SAR 9.83

1.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.27

$8.53 SAR 32.00

0.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.53

$6.61 SAR 24.79

51.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$13.69 SAR 51.4

6.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-7.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-4.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.45 SAR 5.45

24.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-6.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.17 SAR 4.38

24.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.65 SAR 2.45

-15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$1.81 SAR 6.77

328.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.48 SAR 5.56

18.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$2.51 SAR 9.41

-7.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.74

$6.56 SAR 24.63

8.69%

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

$40.40 SAR 152

-5.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.16

$2.71 SAR 10.16

19.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$16.84 SAR 63.2

-19.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.65 SAR 2.42

-3.08%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

32.62%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$24.3K SAR 91.0K

-5.31%

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

$103 SAR 385

$75.8 SAR 284

35.30%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$30.31 SAR 114

13.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$69.7 SAR 261

8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 395

$101 SAR 380

4.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 218

$36.15 SAR 136

61.00%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$16.04 SAR 60.2

-1.56%

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

$459 SAR 1,723

$267 SAR 1,002

71.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$3,775 SAR 14.2K

149.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$52.1 SAR 196

15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$72.3 SAR 271

-11.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$82.3 SAR 309

29.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$72.4 SAR 272

38.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,063

$631 SAR 2,368

71.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,185

$343 SAR 1,287

147.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,654

$760 SAR 2,851

168.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,227

$784 SAR 2,943

43.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$2,360 SAR 8,854

32.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

$1,335 SAR 5,008

47.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

$2,829 SAR 10.6K

-20.01%

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 Buraydah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,083 in Riyadh versus $631 in Buraydah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Buraydah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Riyadh versus $40.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $205 – making Buraydah 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 Buraydah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 50% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,665 per month in Riyadh and $1,776 in Buraydah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,776 in Riyadh and $1,184 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Buraydah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Buraydah, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Riyadh at $1,776. In Buraydah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buraydah costs $1,184 versus $1,776 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Buraydah. 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.