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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,790 per month in Riyadh vs $1,198 in Buraydah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,519 per month in Riyadh vs $1,959 in Buraydah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Riyadh vs $2,720 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 49% more than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riyadh sits 34% above the global median, while Buraydah is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.11 SAR 30.41

$12.74 SAR 47.77

-36.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 SAR 198

$39.99 SAR 150

32.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 SAR 30.32

$7.20 SAR 27.00

12.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.63 SAR 6.13

5.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.35

$1.50 SAR 5.62

48.67%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SAR 15.48

$3.52 SAR 13.20

17.33%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.75 SAR 2.80

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.26 SAR 0.97

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.06

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.06 SAR 3.96

20.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.71

$2.46 SAR 9.23

-5.69%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$2.60 SAR 9.74

3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.54

$8.37 SAR 31.39

0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.93

$6.85 SAR 25.67

47.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 SAR 55.0

$13.81 SAR 51.8

6.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$2.57 SAR 9.63

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.80 SAR 6.73

-7.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.40 SAR 5.23

27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-15.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.55 SAR 5.81

-5.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.12 SAR 4.20

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.69 SAR 2.59

-20.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$1.86 SAR 6.97

338.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.49 SAR 5.58

21.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

$2.61 SAR 9.77

-8.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$6.53 SAR 24.49

15.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.48 SAR 141

$40.29 SAR 151

-6.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$2.64 SAR 9.88

24.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.88 SAR 7.05

-2.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.13

$16.40 SAR 61.5

-20.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.60 SAR 2.26

-1.67%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

$26.7K SAR 100.0K

31.58%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-1.58%

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

$104 SAR 390

$76.6 SAR 287

35.89%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$30.20 SAR 113

13.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 SAR 287

$69.6 SAR 261

9.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$100 SAR 376

5.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.8 SAR 224

$36.17 SAR 136

65.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 SAR 59.0

$16.06 SAR 60.2

-1.99%

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

$448 SAR 1,681

$267 SAR 1,002

67.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

$3,766 SAR 14.1K

158.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$52.5 SAR 197

14.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$73.3 SAR 275

-11.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 402

$80.3 SAR 301

33.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 SAR 374

$70.7 SAR 265

40.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SAR 4,135

$635 SAR 2,383

73.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,155

$334 SAR 1,253

151.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 SAR 7,821

$757 SAR 2,839

175.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,117

$790 SAR 2,961

39.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

$2,379 SAR 8,921

20.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 SAR 7,301

$1,334 SAR 5,002

45.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,436 SAR 9,136

$2,846 SAR 10.7K

-14.38%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Riyadh versus $635 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 17% 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 $40.00 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 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 49% 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 $2,685 per month in Riyadh and $1,797 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 $1,790 in Riyadh and $1,198 in Buraydah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% 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 $1,198, than in Riyadh at $1,790. 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 $1,198 versus $1,790 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.