Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Khafji Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Khafji

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,776 in Riyadh versus $1,205 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Riyadh versus $1,838 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Riyadh versus $2,470 in Khafji.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 47% more expensive than Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Khafji is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$3.24 SAR 12.17

148.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$53.2 SAR 200

-1.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.31

$4.98 SAR 18.71

62.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$0.92 SAR 3.45

84.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.57 SAR 5.91

43.31%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.05

$2.98 SAR 11.19

34.56%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.85 SAR 3.19

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.37 SAR 1.39

-21.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-2.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.10 SAR 7.90

15.71%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.97

$2.25 SAR 8.44

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.29

$6.06 SAR 22.74

41.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.55

$7.13 SAR 26.78

40.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$9.97 SAR 37.44

46.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.16 SAR 8.12

8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.53 SAR 5.75

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.43 SAR 5.39

25.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.59 SAR 5.97

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.23 SAR 4.60

0.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.39 SAR 5.24

5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.30 SAR 4.90

12.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.55 SAR 2.06

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.12

$4.08 SAR 15.34

90.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.64 SAR 6.15

6.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$1.93 SAR 7.23

19.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.76

$8.14 SAR 30.57

-12.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.05 SAR 3.94

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$39.17 SAR 147

-2.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.17

$3.36 SAR 12.62

-3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.82 SAR 6.84

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$13.45 SAR 50.5

0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

$23.0K SAR 86.4K

52.55%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$21.2K SAR 79.5K

8.46%

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

$103 SAR 385

$115 SAR 433

-10.98%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$38.64 SAR 145

-10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$62.6 SAR 235

20.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 396

$86.2 SAR 323

22.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 219

$36.34 SAR 136

60.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$15.40 SAR 57.8

2.53%

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

$459 SAR 1,724

$131 SAR 492

250.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$4,039 SAR 15.2K

132.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$67.5 SAR 253

-10.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$68.2 SAR 256

-5.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 400

$93.4 SAR 351

13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 377

$86.4 SAR 324

16.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,065

$447 SAR 1,679

142.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,187

$383 SAR 1,439

121.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,658

$847 SAR 3,180

140.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,229

$619 SAR 2,323

82.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$2,256 SAR 8,471

38.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,366

$1,363 SAR 5,116

43.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,495

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.33

22.63%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Khafji: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Riyadh and $447 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Riyadh vs $53.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $184, with Khafji cheaper for home cooking.

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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,665 in Riyadh and $1,808 in Khafji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,083 in Riyadh versus $447 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Riyadh versus $1,205 in Khafji – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 3% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,205 in Khafji versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khafji is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Khafji 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 Khafji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.