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: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $1,073 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,678 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $2,283 in Jubail.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 60% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Jubail is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$6.76 SAR 25.40

15.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$39.39 SAR 148

61.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$9.01 SAR 33.82

-12.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.82 SAR 6.85

14.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$2.25 SAR 8.45

32.44%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.95 SAR 14.84

14.94%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.93 SAR 3.49

-10.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.28 SAR 1.06

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.50 SAR 5.64

11.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-13.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$1.69 SAR 6.34

34.91%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.10 SAR 7.88

45.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$8.77 SAR 32.93

14.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$6.32 SAR 23.73

60.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$10.96 SAR 41.18

43.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.25 SAR 8.45

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.74 SAR 6.53

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.51 SAR 5.68

50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.69 SAR 6.36

0.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-1.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.33 SAR 5.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.86 SAR 10.76

175.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.20 SAR 8.25

-15.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.09 SAR 7.87

23.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.74 SAR 25.33

13.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.31 SAR 4.93

-17.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$23.79 SAR 89.4

55.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.40 SAR 12.76

-6.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.66 SAR 9.99

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.12 SAR 49.27

3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$44.6K SAR 167.5K

-20.90%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

5.37%

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

$100 SAR 376

$79.9 SAR 300

25.48%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$28.01 SAR 105

18.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$67.4 SAR 253

2.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$100 SAR 376

-9.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$39.60 SAR 149

41.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.20 SAR 49.56

2.05%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$177 SAR 664

203.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$7,661 SAR 28.8K

40.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$42.67 SAR 160

39.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$59.6 SAR 224

-10.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$80.9 SAR 304

36.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$85.6 SAR 321

21.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$437 SAR 1,642

167.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$301 SAR 1,132

170.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$647 SAR 2,430

233.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$532 SAR 1,998

129.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,775 SAR 10.4K

5.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,366 SAR 5,131

41.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,606 SAR 6,033

27.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.62

-1.42%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jubail: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $437 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 28% 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: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $39.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 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 60% 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 28% 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $437 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Riyadh versus $1,073 in Jubail – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 55% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,073 in Jubail versus $1,719 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 $1,073 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 60% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.