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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Jeddah is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.54 SAR 24.53

25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.72 SAR 153

30.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-1.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.19 SAR 8.23

-21.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$2.10 SAR 7.89

6.19%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.58 SAR 13.45

14.25%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.70 SAR 2.64

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.25 SAR 0.94

16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.96 SAR 3.58

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.30 SAR 8.61

2.17%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.75 SAR 10.34

-0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$7.41 SAR 27.83

16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.64 SAR 28.69

31.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$12.34 SAR 46.33

18.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.16 SAR 8.13

8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.57 SAR 5.90

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.55 SAR 5.82

19.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.54 SAR 5.78

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-2.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.21 SAR 4.54

21.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.05 SAR 3.96

38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.60 SAR 2.23

-11.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

$4.08 SAR 15.31

100.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-12.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.48 SAR 9.32

-4.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.76 SAR 25.37

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-19.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$39.64 SAR 149

-7.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$3.23 SAR 12.13

1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-12.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

26.75%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

9.33%

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

$104 SAR 391

$105 SAR 393

-0.61%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$32.31 SAR 121

6.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$70.1 SAR 263

9.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$90.9 SAR 341

15.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$45.17 SAR 170

29.05%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$13.12 SAR 49.26

23.25%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$400 SAR 1,500

14.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

51.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$64.6 SAR 242

-7.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$58.1 SAR 218

10.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$92.5 SAR 347

15.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$84.4 SAR 317

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$501 SAR 1,881

113.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$390 SAR 1,464

115.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$899 SAR 3,375

125.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$618 SAR 2,321

76.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$1,625 SAR 6,100

89.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$1,014 SAR 3,805

90.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$1,657 SAR 6,219

35.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $501 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 36% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 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: $1,739 in Riyadh, $1,202 in Jeddah – roughly 45% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,803 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 $53.0 in Riyadh and $41.00 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 $1,739 in Riyadh and $1,202 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 $1,202, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $1,202 in Jeddah to $1,739 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.