Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,719 per month in Riyadh vs $1,392 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Riyadh vs $2,099 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,405 per month in Riyadh vs $2,805 in Jeddah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 23% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Riyadh and Jeddah sit above the global median – Riyadh by 26%, Jeddah by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$6.67 SAR 25.06

17.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$53.6 SAR 201

18.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$8.24 SAR 30.94

-4.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.57 SAR 9.65

-18.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$2.59 SAR 9.72

15.06%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.56 SAR 13.38

27.53%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.99 SAR 3.71

-16.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.24 SAR 0.90

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-3.39%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.32 SAR 8.72

31.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$6.54 SAR 24.58

53.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$8.36 SAR 31.38

21.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$13.14 SAR 49.36

19.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.11 SAR 7.94

27.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.78 SAR 6.68

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.62 SAR 6.07

40.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.68 SAR 6.33

1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.14 SAR 4.27

6.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.24 SAR 4.66

7.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.13 SAR 4.24

49.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.54 SAR 2.03

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$4.24 SAR 15.93

86.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.85 SAR 6.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.48 SAR 9.33

4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.68 SAR 25.09

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.89 SAR 3.34

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$55.3 SAR 208

-33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.16 SAR 11.87

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.77 SAR 6.65

2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.72 SAR 51.5

-1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$47.8K SAR 179.7K

-26.27%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

2.79%

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

$100 SAR 376

$104 SAR 392

-3.87%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$38.73 SAR 145

-14.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$66.1 SAR 248

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$86.3 SAR 324

5.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$41.48 SAR 156

34.84%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$11.89 SAR 44.67

13.29%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$738 SAR 2,773

-27.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$15.7K SAR 58.9K

-31.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$68.5 SAR 257

-13.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$60.0 SAR 225

-10.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$97.7 SAR 367

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$98.8 SAR 371

5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$781 SAR 2,935

49.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$538 SAR 2,021

51.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$1,329 SAR 4,990

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$856 SAR 3,215

42.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$1,772 SAR 6,654

65.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,149 SAR 4,315

68.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,621 SAR 6,087

26.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.39

2.78%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Riyadh versus $781 in Jeddah. 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 27% higher in Riyadh, 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 $54.0 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $203 – making Jeddah 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 Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,719 in Riyadh, $1,392 in Jeddah – roughly 23% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,579 per month in Riyadh and $2,088 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in Riyadh and $54.0 in Jeddah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,719 in Riyadh and $1,392 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,392, than in Riyadh at $1,719. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Jeddah has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,392 in Jeddah to $1,719 in Riyadh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Jeddah. 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.