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: $1,804 in Riyadh versus $1,184 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Riyadh versus $1,816 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,298 in Riyadh versus $2,449 in Khafji.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 52% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 35% above, Khafji is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$3.29 SAR 12.35

135.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$54.2 SAR 203

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.85

$5.21 SAR 19.53

52.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$0.96 SAR 3.60

78.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.63 SAR 6.14

37.42%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.01

$3.01 SAR 11.29

32.89%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.69

$0.85 SAR 3.20

-15.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.37 SAR 1.39

-21.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.10 SAR 7.88

11.43%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$2.19 SAR 8.23

24.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.47

$6.23 SAR 23.36

38.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 SAR 37.24

$7.17 SAR 26.92

38.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.54 SAR 54.6

$9.87 SAR 37.02

47.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.35

$2.12 SAR 7.94

4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.54 SAR 5.77

9.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.96

$1.46 SAR 5.48

27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.59 SAR 5.95

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.22 SAR 4.58

5.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

$1.34 SAR 5.01

12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.35 SAR 5.08

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$4.26 SAR 15.99

82.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.57 SAR 5.88

11.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$1.94 SAR 7.29

20.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.91

$8.06 SAR 30.23

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-0.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.69 SAR 141

$39.42 SAR 148

-4.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 SAR 11.72

$3.40 SAR 12.75

-8.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.85 SAR 6.94

3.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$13.43 SAR 50.4

0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$34.2K SAR 128.3K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

52.18%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

10.15%

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

$103 SAR 386

$118 SAR 442

-12.58%

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

$34.69 SAR 130

$38.00 SAR 143

-8.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$63.3 SAR 238

19.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$104 SAR 390

$86.2 SAR 323

20.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.0 SAR 218

$35.90 SAR 135

61.67%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 SAR 60.2

$15.50 SAR 58.2

3.55%

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

$465 SAR 1,744

$134 SAR 502

247.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,748 SAR 36.6K

$4,072 SAR 15.3K

139.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 SAR 219

$67.3 SAR 253

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 SAR 246

$67.7 SAR 254

-3.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 SAR 409

$93.2 SAR 350

17.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 375

$84.0 SAR 315

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$444 SAR 1,665

144.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,132

$382 SAR 1,432

118.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,038 SAR 7,647

$845 SAR 3,170

141.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,091 SAR 4,096

$633 SAR 2,374

72.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,918 SAR 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 SAR 7,239

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,119 SAR 7,951

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Khafji: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,082 in Riyadh and $444 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $54.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $185, 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 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,707 in Riyadh and $1,775 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: $1,082 in Riyadh versus $444 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,804 per month in Riyadh versus $1,184 in Khafji – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 5% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,804 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 52% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.