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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 44% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Jeddah is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$6.51 SAR 24.46

25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$39.65 SAR 149

35.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.80 SAR 29.29

2.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$2.16 SAR 8.10

-21.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.10 SAR 7.90

10.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$3.78 SAR 14.20

5.29%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.70 SAR 2.64

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.25 SAR 0.94

24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.68 SAR 6.32

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.94 SAR 3.53

41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.23 SAR 8.38

5.83%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.63 SAR 9.88

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$7.42 SAR 27.86

14.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.77 SAR 29.19

27.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.38 SAR 46.50

17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.18 SAR 8.19

6.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.57 SAR 5.89

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.54 SAR 5.80

22.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.58 SAR 5.94

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.25 SAR 4.68

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.10 SAR 4.15

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$4.21 SAR 15.79

86.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-5.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.49 SAR 9.36

-3.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.79 SAR 25.51

9.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.89 SAR 150

-7.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$3.17 SAR 11.89

1.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-12.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.60 SAR 2.24

6.67%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

32.77%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

10.03%

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

$106 SAR 398

$108 SAR 406

-2.05%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$32.30 SAR 121

8.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$69.6 SAR 261

10.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$91.1 SAR 342

16.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$45.14 SAR 170

32.72%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$13.21 SAR 49.62

22.79%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$407 SAR 1,527

14.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

49.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$62.7 SAR 235

-7.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$57.9 SAR 217

12.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$94.9 SAR 356

16.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$83.8 SAR 315

20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$507 SAR 1,903

118.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$384 SAR 1,442

119.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$904 SAR 3,395

124.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$601 SAR 2,256

87.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$1,646 SAR 6,179

76.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,015 SAR 3,812

90.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,660 SAR 6,233

21.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.5

18.00%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $507 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 22% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $40.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $196 – 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: $1,758 in Riyadh, $1,218 in Jeddah – roughly 44% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $1,827 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 $54.0 in Riyadh and $40.00 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 $1,758 in Riyadh and $1,218 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 $1,218, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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 $1,218 in Jeddah to $1,758 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.