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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,944 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $3,080 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $4,216 in Doha, rent included.

Riyadh is about 10% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Riyadh and Doha sit above the global median – Riyadh by 32%, Doha by 46%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.76 QAR 24.61

21.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$54.0 QAR 197

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$6.96 QAR 25.35

14.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$11.62 QAR 42.29

-85.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$10.90 QAR 39.66

-78.81%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$4.97 QAR 18.10

-19.92%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.86 QAR 3.13

-10.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.33 QAR 1.20

-6.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-17.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.64 QAR 5.95

-18.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.20 QAR 8.01

7.27%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.67 QAR 9.70

0.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$11.57 QAR 42.12

-26.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.91 QAR 28.80

25.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$10.73 QAR 39.04

35.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.03 QAR 7.40

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.62 QAR 5.91

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.53 QAR 5.56

22.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.39 QAR 5.06

14.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.03 QAR 3.77

21.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.12 QAR 4.07

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.34 QAR 4.86

6.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.48 QAR 1.75

8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$10.16 QAR 37.00

-22.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.85 QAR 6.74

-3.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.99 QAR 10.89

-19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.35 QAR 23.12

16.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.57 QAR 2.08

89.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$32.81 QAR 119

12.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.24 QAR 8.15

43.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.13 QAR 7.77

-13.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.68 QAR 49.81

-3.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.59 QAR 2.15

8.47%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

57.90%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$20.4K QAR 74.3K

14.82%

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

$106 SAR 398

$93.4 QAR 340

13.34%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$37.55 QAR 137

-6.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$88.7 QAR 323

-13.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$120 QAR 435

-11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$31.64 QAR 115

89.35%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$12.46 QAR 45.34

30.18%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$802 QAR 2,918

-41.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

-17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$61.1 QAR 223

-4.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$55.1 QAR 200

18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$100 QAR 365

9.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$90.2 QAR 328

11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$1,638 QAR 5,963

-32.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$1,064 QAR 3,872

-20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$2,901 QAR 10.6K

-30.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$2,098 QAR 7,636

-46.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$4,212 QAR 15.3K

-30.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$2,509 QAR 9,134

-22.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$3,128 QAR 11.4K

-35.41%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Doha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $1,638 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 55% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $54.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $225 in Riyadh vs $212 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 11%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $2,916 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 $465 per month in Riyadh and $802 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 $1,758, than in Doha at $1,944. 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.