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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,736 per month in Riyadh vs $2,146 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,592 per month in Riyadh vs $3,347 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Riyadh vs $4,548 in Doha, rent included.

Riyadh is about 19% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Riyadh and Doha sit above the global median – Riyadh by 26%, Doha by 56%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$10.74 QAR 39.11

-28.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$73.3 QAR 267

-12.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$8.41 QAR 30.62

-0.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$12.13 QAR 44.16

-85.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$13.59 QAR 49.46

-79.10%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$5.88 QAR 21.41

-25.51%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.92 QAR 3.35

-6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.44 QAR 1.62

-22.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$2.17 QAR 7.89

-21.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.44 QAR 5.23

-8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$1.93 QAR 7.03

25.39%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$3.58 QAR 13.04

-8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$11.43 QAR 41.61

-16.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$7.93 QAR 28.85

23.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$11.18 QAR 40.69

34.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.15 QAR 7.84

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.80 QAR 6.54

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.56 QAR 5.67

48.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.21 QAR 4.41

42.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.00 QAR 3.62

11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.03 QAR 3.76

34.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.42 QAR 5.18

20.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.54 QAR 1.97

9.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$9.35 QAR 34.03

-14.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.92 QAR 6.98

-6.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.30 QAR 8.37

6.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$6.51 QAR 23.70

11.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.57 QAR 2.08

84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$26.90 QAR 97.9

37.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$1.94 QAR 7.07

68.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.99 QAR 7.26

-7.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.82 QAR 50.3

-3.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.54 QAR 1.96

9.26%

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$27.3K QAR 99.3K

29.84%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

0.46%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$89.0 QAR 324

7.45%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$35.75 QAR 130

-10.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$86.7 QAR 316

-19.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$129 QAR 470

-29.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$18.63 QAR 67.8

194.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$12.52 QAR 45.57

9.90%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$691 QAR 2,515

-22.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$9,960 QAR 36.3K

11.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$61.4 QAR 224

-2.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$52.2 QAR 190

11.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$106 QAR 385

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$88.3 QAR 322

17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$1,976 QAR 7,194

-39.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$1,192 QAR 4,339

-28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$3,503 QAR 12.8K

-37.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$2,325 QAR 8,461

-45.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$4,104 QAR 14.9K

-28.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$2,415 QAR 8,790

-21.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

$3,183 QAR 11.6K

-33.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.88

-5.78%

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Doha: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,189 in Riyadh versus $1,976 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 51% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $73.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Riyadh vs $217 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 24%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,604 per month in Riyadh and $3,218 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 38% less in Riyadh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $539 per month in Riyadh and $691 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 $1,736, than in Doha at $2,146. 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.