Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,451 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,853 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,255 in Medina, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 21% more than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Riyadh and Medina sit above the global median – Riyadh by 32%, Medina by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$5.72 SAR 21.48

43.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$31.52 SAR 118

70.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.94 SAR 29.82

0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.57 SAR 5.88

7.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.69 SAR 6.36

36.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$2.45 SAR 9.19

62.45%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.78 SAR 2.92

-1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.42 SAR 1.57

-26.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.60 SAR 6.02

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.97 SAR 3.66

37.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.32 SAR 8.70

1.72%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.05 SAR 7.71

31.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.72 SAR 25.23

26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.09 SAR 26.61

39.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.44 SAR 46.71

16.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-1.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$2.07 SAR 7.79

-15.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-16.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.46 SAR 5.47

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$0.98 SAR 3.68

45.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.88 SAR 3.29

-40.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$1.36 SAR 5.10

478.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.74 SAR 6.52

2.87%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.62 SAR 6.10

48.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.61 SAR 28.57

-2.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$37.08 SAR 139

-0.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$1.32 SAR 4.94

143.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.65 SAR 6.21

11.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$5.59 SAR 20.99

135.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-1.54%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

67.24%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

9.03%

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

$106 SAR 398

$203 SAR 763

-47.92%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.06 SAR 124

6.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$104 SAR 392

-26.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$75.9 SAR 285

40.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$9.10 SAR 34.18

558.35%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$13.49 SAR 50.7

20.24%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$287 SAR 1,078

62.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

29.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$37.64 SAR 141

54.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$53.3 SAR 200

21.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$66.9 SAR 251

64.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$98.6 SAR 370

2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$435 SAR 1,633

155.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$554 SAR 2,082

51.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$712 SAR 2,674

184.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$419 SAR 1,574

168.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,267 SAR 8,513

28.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,344 SAR 5,045

44.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,339 SAR 5,030

50.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

77.00%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh versus $435 in Medina. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Riyadh, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Riyadh versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $199 – making Medina the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 21% more than Medina, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh and $2,177 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Riyadh and $287 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Riyadh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,451, than in Riyadh at $1,758. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medina costs $1,451 versus $1,758 in Riyadh. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.