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: $1,770 in Riyadh versus $1,186 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,504 in Riyadh versus $1,822 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,239 in Riyadh versus $2,457 in Khafji.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 49% more expensive than Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Khafji is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 SAR 30.46

$3.12 SAR 11.71

160.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$53.6 SAR 201

-1.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.43

$4.95 SAR 18.57

63.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$0.95 SAR 3.58

86.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.39

$1.58 SAR 5.93

41.77%

Cappuccino

$4.15 SAR 15.56

$2.86 SAR 10.71

45.10%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$0.84 SAR 3.14

-9.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-23.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.09

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-9.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.12 SAR 7.95

15.57%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$2.21 SAR 8.28

21.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.44

$6.09 SAR 22.83

42.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 SAR 38.13

$7.42 SAR 27.81

37.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 SAR 55.2

$9.86 SAR 36.99

49.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.46

$2.20 SAR 8.26

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.55 SAR 5.80

9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$1.43 SAR 5.38

25.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.75

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-7.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.28 SAR 4.81

1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.69

$1.34 SAR 5.04

13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.31 SAR 4.93

5.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.55 SAR 2.06

1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.57

$4.21 SAR 15.78

93.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.63 SAR 6.12

6.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.02 SAR 7.57

19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.23 SAR 27.12

$7.81 SAR 29.30

-7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$1.06 SAR 3.97

2.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.73 SAR 141

$40.63 SAR 152

-7.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.20

$3.27 SAR 12.28

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.85 SAR 6.94

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.50 SAR 50.6

$13.39 SAR 50.2

0.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-1.67%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

49.03%

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

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

$21.1K SAR 79.0K

11.92%

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

$106 SAR 398

$117 SAR 440

-9.52%

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

$35.49 SAR 133

$38.81 SAR 146

-8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$63.5 SAR 238

18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$89.2 SAR 334

20.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.7 SAR 220

$35.37 SAR 133

65.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SAR 58.8

$15.45 SAR 57.9

1.55%

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

$449 SAR 1,685

$134 SAR 501

236.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

$3,949 SAR 14.8K

142.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 SAR 219

$68.5 SAR 257

-14.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 SAR 239

$67.3 SAR 253

-5.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 405

$90.3 SAR 339

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 SAR 369

$85.9 SAR 322

14.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,118

$441 SAR 1,652

149.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 SAR 3,206

$374 SAR 1,403

128.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 SAR 7,762

$840 SAR 3,151

146.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 SAR 4,246

$623 SAR 2,334

81.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

$2,657 SAR 9,965

10.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 SAR 7,163

$1,376 SAR 5,159

38.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 SAR 8,947

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Khafji: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,098 in Riyadh and $441 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53 in Riyadh vs $54 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $186, 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 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,654 in Riyadh and $1,779 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: $1,098 in Riyadh versus $441 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,770 per month in Riyadh versus $1,186 in Khafji – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,186 in Khafji versus $1,770 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 49% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.