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: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $661 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $1,044 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $1,426 in Khafji.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 162% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Khafji is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$3.23 SAR 12.12

141.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$34.81 SAR 131

86.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$5.20 SAR 19.53

70.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$0.97 SAR 3.65

105.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.58 SAR 5.93

87.97%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$2.96 SAR 11.12

42.91%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.77 SAR 2.90

10.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.19 SAR 0.73

68.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.80 SAR 6.75

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-6.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$1.89 SAR 7.09

29.63%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.20 SAR 8.27

45.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$7.28 SAR 27.35

33.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.93 SAR 29.79

25.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.91 SAR 48.47

17.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.23 SAR 8.37

17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.63 SAR 6.13

19.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.63 SAR 6.13

44.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.61 SAR 6.04

7.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.12 SAR 4.22

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.15 SAR 4.33

24.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.27 SAR 4.78

34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.57 SAR 2.14

3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$4.05 SAR 15.21

91.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.50 SAR 5.63

23.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$2.13 SAR 8.00

15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$7.78 SAR 29.23

-3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.72 SAR 10.20

20.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-27.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$13.25 SAR 49.76

-0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-3.28%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$66.2K SAR 248.5K

-45.77%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

4.05%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$131 SAR 490

-25.68%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$32.66 SAR 123

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$62.7 SAR 236

9.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$13.20 SAR 49.58

0.68%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$135 SAR 508

294.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$3,942 SAR 14.8K

187.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$42.63 SAR 160

38.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$49.91 SAR 187

12.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$98.1 SAR 368

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$91.2 SAR 343

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$678 SAR 2,546

73.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.9

-6.10%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Khafji: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $678 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $35.00 in Khafji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $201 per month, with Khafji 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 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 162% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,601 in Riyadh and $992 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: $1,174 in Riyadh versus $678 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $533 in Riyadh versus $135 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Khafji – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $65.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Khafji versus $1,734 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 162% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.