Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Dhahran Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Dhahran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 31% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Dhahran is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$5.23 SAR 19.64

56.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.50 SAR 152

30.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.14 SAR 26.78

13.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.05 SAR 7.68

-16.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.61 SAR 6.06

38.51%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.77 SAR 14.14

8.49%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.74 SAR 2.78

-4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.17 SAR 0.63

70.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.49 SAR 5.60

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.17 SAR 4.39

9.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.18 SAR 8.18

7.80%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.39 SAR 8.98

14.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.83 SAR 25.62

26.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$8.84 SAR 33.18

13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.50 SAR 50.7

7.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.24 SAR 8.41

4.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.38 SAR 5.20

26.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.63 SAR 6.11

13.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.37 SAR 5.13

11.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.23 SAR 4.63

4.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$0.89 SAR 3.34

65.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.10 SAR 4.14

31.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-7.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$4.84 SAR 18.16

68.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.98 SAR 7.43

-13.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.56 SAR 5.86

52.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-20.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.05 SAR 3.93

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.72 SAR 153

-9.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$1.35 SAR 5.08

142.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-24.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-3.08%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

5.15%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-3.50%

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

$104 SAR 391

0.05%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$36.18 SAR 136

-5.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$73.6 SAR 276

4.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$183 SAR 688

-42.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$36.00 SAR 135

61.92%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$11.90 SAR 44.66

35.88%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$414 SAR 1,553

10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

-1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.4 SAR 223

0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$76.7 SAR 288

-16.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$84.4 SAR 317

26.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$97.8 SAR 367

2.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$439 SAR 1,648

144.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$383 SAR 1,436

119.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$836 SAR 3,138

142.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$615 SAR 2,308

77.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

176.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,066 SAR 3,999

81.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-22.17%

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 1, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $439 in Dhahran. 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 28% higher in Dhahran, 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 $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $200 – making Dhahran 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 31% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,998 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, 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 $1,739 in Riyadh and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 11% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,332 versus $1,739 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 Dhahran. 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.