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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,302 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,999 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,697 in Dhahran, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 35% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Dhahran is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$5.30 SAR 19.91

54.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$40.06 SAR 150

34.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.35 SAR 27.58

8.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$2.01 SAR 7.56

-15.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.59 SAR 5.96

45.28%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$3.67 SAR 13.79

8.45%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.70 SAR 2.62

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.20 SAR 0.73

55.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.51 SAR 5.68

11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.18 SAR 4.43

12.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.16 SAR 8.10

9.26%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.36 SAR 8.86

13.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.55 SAR 24.61

29.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$8.74 SAR 32.82

13.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$13.55 SAR 50.9

7.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.17 SAR 8.15

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.42 SAR 5.34

22.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.58 SAR 5.94

18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.30 SAR 4.88

22.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.19 SAR 4.47

5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$0.98 SAR 3.66

48.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.07 SAR 4.01

33.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-8.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$4.76 SAR 17.88

65.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$2.00 SAR 7.53

-10.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.55 SAR 5.83

55.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$9.21 SAR 34.59

-19.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.24 SAR 151

-8.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$1.37 SAR 5.13

135.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-22.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.26 SAR 49.79

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

10.31%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

-4.04%

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

$106 SAR 398

$106 SAR 397

0.18%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$36.75 SAR 138

-4.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$72.3 SAR 271

6.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$184 SAR 689

-42.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.54 SAR 133

68.57%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$12.10 SAR 45.42

34.05%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$403 SAR 1,514

15.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

-1.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.7 SAR 224

-2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$74.7 SAR 281

-12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$85.8 SAR 322

28.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$95.9 SAR 360

4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$439 SAR 1,650

152.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$381 SAR 1,430

121.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$840 SAR 3,153

141.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$633 SAR 2,377

78.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$1,109 SAR 4,164

162.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,053 SAR 3,955

84.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

-29.95%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 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 43% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $40.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $198 – 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 35% 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 $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,953 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 $1,758 in Riyadh and $1,302 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% 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 $1,302, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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 $1,302 versus $1,758 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.