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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,753 per month in Riyadh vs $1,212 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,529 per month in Riyadh vs $1,961 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,305 per month in Riyadh vs $2,711 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Buraydah is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$12.70 SAR 47.68

-38.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$39.24 SAR 147

34.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.22 SAR 27.11

13.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.63 SAR 6.10

9.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$1.45 SAR 5.44

51.72%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$3.68 SAR 13.80

8.42%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.74 SAR 2.76

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.28 SAR 1.06

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.05 SAR 3.92

25.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.45 SAR 9.20

-3.27%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$2.51 SAR 9.44

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$8.53 SAR 32.02

-3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.13

$6.63 SAR 24.89

49.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$13.90 SAR 52.2

4.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.57 SAR 9.66

-13.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-7.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.40 SAR 5.26

27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-8.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.42 SAR 5.31

-8.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

$1.54 SAR 5.79

-1.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.16 SAR 4.36

18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.70 SAR 2.61

-20.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.21

$1.92 SAR 7.22

319.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.48 SAR 5.57

20.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.50 SAR 9.40

-7.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.67

$6.26 SAR 23.50

17.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.10 SAR 4.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$39.27 SAR 147

-6.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$2.67 SAR 10.04

21.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.91 SAR 7.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$16.48 SAR 61.9

-18.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

33.00%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$24.2K SAR 90.7K

-4.24%

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

$103 SAR 387

$77.9 SAR 293

32.25%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$30.14 SAR 113

16.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$71.6 SAR 269

5.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$101 SAR 380

6.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$36.35 SAR 136

64.15%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$15.67 SAR 58.9

3.57%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$267 SAR 1,003

70.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$3,749 SAR 14.1K

151.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$52.0 SAR 195

14.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$72.8 SAR 273

-12.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 406

$80.5 SAR 302

34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$70.8 SAR 266

39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,101

$637 SAR 2,392

71.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,127

$343 SAR 1,289

142.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,538

$751 SAR 2,818

167.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,242

$786 SAR 2,952

43.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$2,399 SAR 9,007

23.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,378

$1,357 SAR 5,094

44.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,881

$2,555 SAR 9,591

-17.83%

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 Buraydah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,092 in Riyadh versus $637 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 22% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $39.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $206 – 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 45% 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 $2,629 per month in Riyadh and $1,817 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 $1,753 in Riyadh and $1,212 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 $1,212, than in Riyadh at $1,753. 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 $1,212 versus $1,753 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.