Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,790 in Riyadh versus $1,050 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,519 in Riyadh versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Riyadh versus $2,251 in Jubail.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 71% more expensive than Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 34% above, Jubail is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.11 SAR 30.41

$6.48 SAR 24.31

25.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 SAR 198

$40.19 SAR 151

31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 SAR 30.32

$9.29 SAR 34.84

-13.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-5.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.35

$2.85 SAR 10.70

-21.75%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SAR 15.48

$3.39 SAR 12.71

21.83%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.83 SAR 3.10

-13.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.26 SAR 0.97

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.06

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.98 SAR 3.68

30.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.71

$1.63 SAR 6.11

42.33%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$2.52 SAR 9.44

6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.54

$8.20 SAR 30.76

2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.93

$6.89 SAR 25.85

46.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 SAR 55.0

$11.19 SAR 41.96

31.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-4.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.58 SAR 5.91

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.43 SAR 5.37

10.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.12 SAR 4.20

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.30 SAR 4.86

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.38 SAR 5.17

1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-14.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$2.91 SAR 10.92

180.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.98 SAR 7.42

-8.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-2.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$7.02 SAR 26.33

7.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.97 SAR 3.63

8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.48 SAR 141

$25.13 SAR 94.2

49.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$4.08 SAR 15.32

-19.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.13

$17.01 SAR 63.8

-22.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-6.35%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

73.29%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

-1.83%

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

$104 SAR 390

$98.8 SAR 371

5.27%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$31.97 SAR 120

7.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 SAR 287

$65.1 SAR 244

17.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$88.0 SAR 330

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.8 SAR 224

$35.90 SAR 135

66.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 SAR 59.0

$13.89 SAR 52.1

13.32%

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

$448 SAR 1,681

$202 SAR 759

121.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

15.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$38.63 SAR 145

55.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$62.2 SAR 233

4.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 402

$83.4 SAR 313

28.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 SAR 374

$79.4 SAR 298

25.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SAR 4,135

$403 SAR 1,513

173.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,155

$277 SAR 1,039

203.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 SAR 7,821

$655 SAR 2,456

218.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,117

$505 SAR 1,892

117.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

$2,522 SAR 9,458

13.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 SAR 7,301

$1,316 SAR 4,934

47.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,436 SAR 9,136

$1,602 SAR 6,008

52.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

5.33

-0.38%

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

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Riyadh and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 52% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $40.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $191 per month, with Jubail cheaper across the board.

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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Riyadh pays 52% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Riyadh versus $403 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,790 per month in Riyadh versus $1,050 in Jubail – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 49% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,790 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,050 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Jubail are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.