Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Hafar Al Batin Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Hafar Al Batin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $1,172 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $1,793 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $2,414 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 48% more expensive than in Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Hafar Al Batin is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$6.38 SAR 23.96

22.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$37.50 SAR 141

72.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.96 SAR 29.91

11.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.59 SAR 5.96

25.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$2.00 SAR 7.50

48.50%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.34 SAR 12.54

26.65%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.85 SAR 3.20

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.27 SAR 1.00

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.94 SAR 7.30

-13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.21 SAR 4.54

3.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.15 SAR 8.06

13.95%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.38 SAR 8.94

34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$7.60 SAR 28.53

27.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.92 SAR 29.73

25.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.73 SAR 47.80

19.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.15 SAR 8.08

21.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.70 SAR 6.38

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.56 SAR 5.87

51.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.62 SAR 6.08

6.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.13 SAR 4.23

6.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.30 SAR 4.89

10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.19 SAR 4.47

43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.56 SAR 2.10

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$2.82 SAR 10.58

174.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.70 SAR 6.38

8.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$2.07 SAR 7.78

19.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$6.58 SAR 24.72

14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.99 SAR 3.71

10.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$32.25 SAR 121

16.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$3.32 SAR 12.47

-1.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.76 SAR 6.61

7.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$14.58 SAR 54.8

-9.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-4.84%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$50.7K SAR 190.4K

-29.25%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

-2.87%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$108 SAR 406

-10.29%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$30.43 SAR 114

6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$66.9 SAR 251

2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$77.0 SAR 289

16.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$38.40 SAR 144

43.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$14.13 SAR 53.1

-5.94%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$392 SAR 1,471

35.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$6,339 SAR 23.8K

78.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$48.58 SAR 182

21.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$63.4 SAR 238

-11.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$106 SAR 397

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$85.9 SAR 323

21.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$538 SAR 2,020

118.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$351 SAR 1,318

136.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$891 SAR 3,345

147.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$632 SAR 2,372

93.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,623 SAR 9,852

11.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,195 SAR 4,488

64.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$1,417 SAR 5,320

44.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $538 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $38.00 in Hafar Al Batin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $203 per month, with Hafar Al Batin cheaper across the board.

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 Hafar Al Batin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hafar Al Batin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 45% higher in Riyadh, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,174 in Riyadh versus $538 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $533 in Riyadh versus $392 in Hafar Al Batin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Riyadh. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,172 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,734 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hafar Al Batin but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Hafar Al Batin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hafar Al Batin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,172 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hafar Al Batin hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Hafar Al Batin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hafar Al Batin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.