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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,719 per month in Riyadh vs $1,343 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Riyadh vs $1,701 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,405 per month in Riyadh vs $2,060 in Dhahran, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 28% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Dhahran is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.37

$5.42 SAR 20.36

44.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$40.35 SAR 152

57.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.17 SAR 23.18

27.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.82 SAR 6.82

14.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.55 SAR 5.83

92.26%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.93 SAR 14.75

15.52%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.72 SAR 2.70

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.20 SAR 0.75

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.63 SAR 6.11

2.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.01 SAR 3.78

18.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$1.92 SAR 7.20

18.75%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$3.93 SAR 14.75

-22.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.64

$8.77 SAR 32.92

14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.17

$11.24 SAR 42.22

-9.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$13.99 SAR 52.5

12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.15 SAR 8.06

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.99

$1.38 SAR 5.18

34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.79 SAR 6.73

26.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-2.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.54 SAR 5.79

-21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$0.99 SAR 3.72

34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-11.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.93 SAR 3.50

-41.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.62

$4.76 SAR 17.86

65.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.63 SAR 6.11

13.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.48 SAR 9.31

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.73

$5.77 SAR 21.66

32.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.78 SAR 2.91

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$1.31 SAR 4.90

142.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$3.23 SAR 12.15

-43.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$9.42 SAR 35.38

43.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$52.0K SAR 195.1K

-32.11%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$20.2K SAR 75.7K

10.17%

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

$100 SAR 376

$59.5 SAR 224

68.38%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$42.58 SAR 160

-21.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$66.4 SAR 249

4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$197 SAR 738

-53.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$94.8 SAR 356

-41.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$10.81 SAR 40.61

24.61%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$65.3 SAR 245

721.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.4K

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

-20.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$50.7 SAR 190

17.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$43.44 SAR 163

23.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$77.0 SAR 289

43.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$87.5 SAR 329

18.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,390

$354 SAR 1,328

230.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,062

$444 SAR 1,669

83.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,112

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,578

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,264

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,708

$2,811 SAR 10.6K

-26.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

4.5

23.11%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Riyadh versus $354 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 37% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $40.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $234 – 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 28% 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 $2,579 per month in Riyadh and $2,015 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 $1,719 in Riyadh and $1,343 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Riyadh and $65.3 in Dhahran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,343, than in Riyadh at $1,719. 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 $1,343 versus $1,719 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.