Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Doha Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Doha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $2,003 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $3,069 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $4,134 in Doha, rent included.

Riyadh is about 13% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Riyadh and Doha sit above the global median – Riyadh by 30%, Doha by 49%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.77 QAR 24.64

21.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$54.0 QAR 196

-1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$6.78 QAR 24.69

19.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$11.76 QAR 42.80

-85.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$11.10 QAR 40.40

-79.91%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$4.98 QAR 18.14

-17.87%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.84 QAR 3.07

-15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.31 QAR 1.13

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.63 QAR 5.92

-21.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.15 QAR 7.82

9.30%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.62 QAR 9.55

4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$11.34 QAR 41.26

-23.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.55 QAR 27.48

32.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$10.43 QAR 37.97

39.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$1.98 QAR 7.21

18.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.57 QAR 5.73

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.59 QAR 5.77

16.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.45 QAR 5.26

5.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$0.98 QAR 3.57

31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.07 QAR 3.88

37.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.38 QAR 5.03

5.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.46 QAR 1.66

15.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

$8.27 QAR 30.10

-1.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.84 QAR 6.71

-7.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$3.00 QAR 10.92

-20.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.47 QAR 23.53

16.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.53 QAR 1.91

105.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$32.91 QAR 120

11.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.23 QAR 8.11

47.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.22 QAR 8.07

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.60 QAR 49.50

-0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.59 QAR 2.16

6.78%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

53.84%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

15.36%

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

$104 SAR 391

$93.5 QAR 340

11.45%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$37.48 QAR 136

-8.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$86.1 QAR 313

-10.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$120 QAR 436

-12.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$32.38 QAR 118

80.02%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$12.20 QAR 44.41

32.54%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$794 QAR 2,891

-42.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

-16.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$62.3 QAR 227

-4.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$54.6 QAR 199

17.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$99.4 QAR 362

7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$90.2 QAR 328

11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$1,609 QAR 5,857

-33.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$1,094 QAR 3,983

-23.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

-30.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$2,079 QAR 7,567

-47.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

-31.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$2,709 QAR 9,860

-28.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

-27.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

6.08

-12.66%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Doha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $1,609 in Doha. 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 38% higher in Doha, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Riyadh versus $54.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $226 in Riyadh vs $208 in Doha – so Doha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $3,004 in Doha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Riyadh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Riyadh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Riyadh and $794 in Doha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Riyadh, where all-in costs run around $1,739, than in Doha at $2,003. In Riyadh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Riyadh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.