Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Buraydah

For one person, living is cheaper in Buraydah: $1,226 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Riyadh outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

83

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Buraydah
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Buraydah Living Index

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Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Buraydah

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,226

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Riyadh and in Buraydah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Riyadh and in Buraydah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,738 per month in Riyadh vs $1,226 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh $1,738
Buraydah $1,226

A couple spends around $2,587 per month in Riyadh vs $2,036 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh $2,587
Buraydah $2,036

A family of three spends $3,437 per month in Riyadh vs $2,845 in Buraydah, rent included.

Riyadh $3,437
Buraydah $2,845

Riyadh costs about 42% more than Buraydah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Riyadh sits 28% above the global median, while Buraydah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.37

$13.15 SAR 49.33

-38.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.3 SAR 245

$39.53 SAR 148

65.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$7.99 SAR 29.98

2.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.88 SAR 7.07

14.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

$1.31 SAR 4.91

126.72%

Cappuccino

$4.30 SAR 16.13

$3.54 SAR 13.26

21.47%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.18

$0.79 SAR 2.96

7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.26 SAR 0.97

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SAR 6.85

$1.67 SAR 6.25

9.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.10 SAR 4.14

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-6.32%

Eggs

$3.04 SAR 11.41

$2.89 SAR 10.82

5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.40

$8.31 SAR 31.18

29.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 SAR 35.17

$6.57 SAR 24.64

42.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 SAR 56.2

$13.54 SAR 50.8

10.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

$2.28 SAR 8.56

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.83 SAR 6.87

3.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.25

$1.74 SAR 6.53

41.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-2.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-1.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$1.05 SAR 3.94

69.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$0.67 SAR 2.52

-13.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$1.81 SAR 6.81

350.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.48 SAR 5.54

22.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.58 SAR 9.67

-4.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 SAR 29.45

$6.23 SAR 23.36

26.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.04

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.07 SAR 143

$37.57 SAR 141

1.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 SAR 11.74

$2.62 SAR 9.85

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-29.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.31 SAR 49.91

$16.75 SAR 62.8

-20.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.59 SAR 2.22

1.69%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$42.2K SAR 158.3K

-37.95%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$23.0K SAR 86.1K

-3.20%

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

$108 SAR 403

$69.9 SAR 262

53.82%

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

$29.62 SAR 111

$31.54 SAR 118

-6.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 266

$70.1 SAR 263

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.0 SAR 311

$138 SAR 517

-39.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

$35.66 SAR 134

60.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 SAR 49.94

$15.09 SAR 56.6

-11.80%

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

$554 SAR 2,077

$269 SAR 1,010

105.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K SAR 37.8K

$3,800 SAR 14.3K

165.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 SAR 216

$52.1 SAR 195

10.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 SAR 204

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SAR 391

$80.4 SAR 301

29.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 SAR 393

$70.9 SAR 266

47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 SAR 4,310

$700 SAR 2,627

64.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,127

$332 SAR 1,245

151.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 SAR 8,125

$905 SAR 3,396

139.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 SAR 4,786

$827 SAR 3,103

54.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,779 SAR 10.4K

$1,949 SAR 7,311

42.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,718 SAR 6,443

$1,335 SAR 5,007

28.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,699

$2,467 SAR 9,254

-16.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

3.98

39.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Riyadh: October 25, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Riyadh

$833 48%

Buraydah

$332 27.1% 60.2% $502

Groceries & Markets

Riyadh

$241 13.9%

Buraydah

$205 16.7% 15.1% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Riyadh

$208 12%

Buraydah

$172 14% 17.6% $37

Eating Out

Riyadh

$145 8.4%

Buraydah

$176 14.3% 20.8% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Riyadh

$144 8.3%

Buraydah

$116 9.5% 19.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Riyadh

$110 6.3%

Buraydah

$168 13.7% 53.2% $58

Getting Around

Riyadh

$55 3.2%

Buraydah

$58 4.7% 5.6% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,149 in Riyadh versus $700 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 20% 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 $65 in Riyadh versus $40 in Buraydah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $241 vs $205 – making Buraydah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🇸🇦 Buraydah

🕒 Local time

06:07 6:07 AM

Same time as Riyadh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,188,286 Capital

467,410

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.267 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 SAR = 0.267 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 42% more than Buraydah, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,606 per month in Riyadh and $1,839 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $700 there versus $1,149 in Riyadh.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,738 in Riyadh and $1,226 in Buraydah. That makes Buraydah about 29% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $554 per month in Riyadh and $269 in Buraydah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,738 in Riyadh and $1,226 in Buraydah. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Buraydah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.