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: $1,777 in Riyadh versus $1,049 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,523 in Riyadh versus $1,657 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,269 in Riyadh versus $2,264 in Jubail.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 69% more expensive than Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 33% above, Jubail is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$6.59 SAR 24.74

20.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$39.56 SAR 148

34.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$9.35 SAR 35.10

-14.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-3.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SAR 8.56

$2.91 SAR 10.90

-21.65%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 14.99

$3.23 SAR 12.14

23.84%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.78 SAR 2.92

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.26 SAR 0.97

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.01 SAR 3.78

26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.61 SAR 6.03

49.07%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.50 SAR 9.38

5.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$8.20 SAR 30.76

5.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 SAR 37.98

$6.89 SAR 25.85

46.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.87 SAR 55.8

$10.98 SAR 41.20

35.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-5.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.64 SAR 6.16

7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

$1.58 SAR 5.92

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.77

$1.35 SAR 5.08

14.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.18 SAR 4.44

8.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

$1.34 SAR 5.03

13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.41 SAR 5.29

-0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-13.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.07 SAR 30.30

$2.88 SAR 10.80

180.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$2.02 SAR 7.56

-11.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 SAR 8.65

$2.38 SAR 8.95

-3.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.35

$7.26 SAR 27.24

0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.91 SAR 3.43

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.26 SAR 140

$26.04 SAR 97.7

43.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.72

$4.09 SAR 15.36

-23.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.86 SAR 6.97

1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$17.44 SAR 65.4

-23.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$19.9K SAR 74.6K

77.26%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-4.16%

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

$106 SAR 398

$98.4 SAR 369

7.64%

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

$35.44 SAR 133

$31.88 SAR 120

11.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$65.1 SAR 244

17.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 SAR 390

$88.0 SAR 330

18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.4 SAR 223

$35.61 SAR 134

66.84%

Cinema Ticket

$16.13 SAR 60.5

$14.00 SAR 52.5

15.21%

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

$456 SAR 1,711

$205 SAR 769

122.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,649 SAR 36.2K

$8,430 SAR 31.6K

14.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$38.03 SAR 143

56.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 SAR 242

$62.8 SAR 236

2.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$81.7 SAR 307

29.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 SAR 369

$78.4 SAR 294

25.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$406 SAR 1,525

163.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$839 SAR 3,148

$278 SAR 1,044

201.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 SAR 7,666

$639 SAR 2,400

219.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,106 SAR 4,149

$493 SAR 1,850

124.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,106 SAR 11.7K

$2,528 SAR 9,486

22.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,928 SAR 7,234

$1,314 SAR 4,931

46.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,302 SAR 8,640

$1,593 SAR 5,979

44.49%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jubail: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $406 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 44% 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 $226 vs $190 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 69% 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 44% 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $406 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,777 per month in Riyadh versus $1,049 in Jubail – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 43% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,049 in Jubail versus $1,777 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 $1,049 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 69% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.