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: $1,753 in Riyadh versus $1,054 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,529 in Riyadh versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Riyadh versus $2,247 in Jubail.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 66% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Jubail is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$6.74 SAR 25.30

15.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$39.37 SAR 148

33.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$9.41 SAR 35.35

-13.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-7.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$2.91 SAR 10.94

-24.40%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$3.34 SAR 12.55

19.46%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.76 SAR 2.86

1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.28 SAR 1.05

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.99 SAR 3.70

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.68 SAR 6.30

41.07%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.51 SAR 9.44

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$8.19 SAR 30.74

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.14

$6.86 SAR 25.76

44.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$11.08 SAR 41.61

30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-3.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.66 SAR 6.23

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.58 SAR 5.92

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.41 SAR 5.29

13.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.12 SAR 4.19

16.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$1.37 SAR 5.13

10.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$2.98 SAR 11.18

170.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-11.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.33 SAR 8.76

-0.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.68

$7.26 SAR 27.27

1.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$0.91 SAR 3.42

20.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$25.68 SAR 96.4

43.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$4.05 SAR 15.20

-19.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.82 SAR 6.84

4.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$16.99 SAR 63.8

-21.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.64 SAR 2.41

-1.56%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

79.05%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-4.66%

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

$103 SAR 387

$102 SAR 381

1.51%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$31.84 SAR 120

9.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$64.4 SAR 242

17.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$89.4 SAR 336

20.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$35.40 SAR 133

68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$14.00 SAR 52.6

15.93%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$202 SAR 757

126.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

9.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$37.51 SAR 141

58.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$61.2 SAR 230

3.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 407

$84.6 SAR 318

27.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$80.4 SAR 302

23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,102

$403 SAR 1,514

170.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,128

$273 SAR 1,025

205.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,540

$636 SAR 2,390

215.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,243

$497 SAR 1,868

127.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$2,545 SAR 9,556

16.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,379

$1,317 SAR 4,945

49.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,883

$1,627 SAR 6,109

29.05%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,092 in Riyadh and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 29% 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 $39.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 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 66% 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.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,092 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 $1,753 per month in Riyadh versus $1,054 in Jubail – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 44% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,753 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 $1,054 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 66% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.