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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,025 in Jizan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,579 in Jizan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,133 in Jizan, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 70% more than Jizan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Jizan is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.56 SAR 24.62

25.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$26.79 SAR 101

97.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$6.78 SAR 25.45

19.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-2.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.82 SAR 6.85

22.53%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.38 SAR 12.70

21.01%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.70 SAR 2.63

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.20 SAR 0.73

45.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.01 SAR 3.78

26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.97 SAR 7.40

19.29%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.56 SAR 9.63

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$7.18 SAR 26.96

20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$5.86 SAR 21.98

70.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$15.66 SAR 58.8

-6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$1.75 SAR 6.56

34.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.45 SAR 5.46

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.70 SAR 6.37

8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.23 SAR 4.61

24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.06 SAR 3.96

21.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.05 SAR 3.93

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.12 SAR 4.20

29.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.51 SAR 1.91

3.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$1.62 SAR 6.09

403.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.08 SAR 7.82

14.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.02 SAR 26.34

7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.09 SAR 4.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.41 SAR 152

-9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.65 SAR 9.94

23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-2.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.21 SAR 49.56

2.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.63 SAR 2.35

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

26.25%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.0K SAR 82.4K

6.62%

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

$104 SAR 391

$88.2 SAR 331

18.06%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$36.72 SAR 138

-6.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$72.7 SAR 273

5.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$87.8 SAR 329

19.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.82 SAR 134

62.73%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.46 SAR 58.0

4.59%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$133 SAR 500

242.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$3,394 SAR 12.7K

186.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$29.70 SAR 111

100.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$46.25 SAR 174

38.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$80.0 SAR 300

33.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$80.6 SAR 302

24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$322 SAR 1,208

233.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$225 SAR 844

274.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$496 SAR 1,862

308.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$481 SAR 1,807

126.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$795 SAR 2,984

286.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$1,620 SAR 6,079

39.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Jizan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $322 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 39% 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 $27.00 in Jizan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $189 – 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 70% more than Jizan, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,538 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 $1,739 in Riyadh and $1,025 in Jizan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $1,025, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $1,025 versus $1,739 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.