Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jizan Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jizan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Riyadh vs $949 in Jizan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Riyadh vs $1,540 in Jizan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Riyadh vs $2,132 in Jizan, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 83% more than Jizan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Jizan is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$5.36 SAR 20.14

45.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$37.05 SAR 139

74.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.48 SAR 28.08

18.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.67 SAR 6.28

19.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.84 SAR 6.91

61.41%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.24 SAR 12.17

30.56%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.72 SAR 2.71

18.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.28 SAR 1.06

14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.01 SAR 3.81

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.22 SAR 8.32

10.36%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.90 SAR 10.90

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$7.70 SAR 28.91

25.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$5.33 SAR 20.00

86.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$14.71 SAR 55.2

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$1.89 SAR 7.10

38.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.61 SAR 6.06

21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$2.07 SAR 7.76

14.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.44 SAR 5.42

20.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-13.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.47 SAR 5.52

-2.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.27 SAR 4.78

34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.80 SAR 3.02

-26.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$1.57 SAR 5.88

393.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$1.61 SAR 6.05

53.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$6.56 SAR 24.62

14.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.05 SAR 3.96

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$23.02 SAR 86.5

63.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.63 SAR 9.87

24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$3.30 SAR 12.40

-42.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$15.89 SAR 59.7

-17.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.60 SAR 2.26

-1.67%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$43.7K SAR 164.1K

-17.88%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$17.4K SAR 65.4K

28.51%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$103 SAR 388

-6.23%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$36.28 SAR 136

-10.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$64.3 SAR 241

6.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$96.6 SAR 363

-7.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$37.71 SAR 142

45.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$16.12 SAR 60.5

-17.56%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$201 SAR 753

165.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$4,081 SAR 15.3K

177.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$32.61 SAR 122

80.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$54.2 SAR 203

3.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$118 SAR 442

-9.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$46.67 SAR 175

123.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$268 SAR 1,005

338.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$135 SAR 506

516.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$484 SAR 1,816

355.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$365 SAR 1,371

235.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$800 SAR 3,004

266.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$1,644 SAR 6,173

24.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

10.80%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Jizan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Riyadh versus $268 in Jizan. 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 25% 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 $65.0 in Riyadh versus $37.00 in Jizan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $199 – making Jizan 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 Jizan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 83% more than Jizan, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,601 per month in Riyadh and $1,423 in Jizan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,734 in Riyadh and $949 in Jizan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 63% less in Jizan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jizan, where all-in costs run around $949, than in Riyadh at $1,734. In Jizan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jizan costs $949 versus $1,734 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Jizan. 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.