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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Riyadh vs $1,352 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Riyadh vs $1,802 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Riyadh vs $2,252 in Medina, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 28% more than Medina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Medina is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$5.59 SAR 21.01

39.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$32.04 SAR 120

102.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$8.10 SAR 30.41

9.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.57 SAR 5.91

26.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.68 SAR 6.31

76.79%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$2.71 SAR 10.17

56.09%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.81 SAR 3.03

4.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.23 SAR 0.86

39.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.48 SAR 5.57

13.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$0.94 SAR 3.53

32.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.38 SAR 8.93

2.94%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.03 SAR 7.63

57.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$5.27 SAR 19.80

83.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.22 SAR 27.12

37.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.52 SAR 47.01

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.45 SAR 9.20

6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.90 SAR 7.13

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$2.33 SAR 8.74

1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.47 SAR 5.51

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.35 SAR 5.08

5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$0.92 SAR 3.45

85.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.72 SAR 2.69

-18.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$1.36 SAR 5.11

469.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.55 SAR 5.83

19.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$1.58 SAR 5.94

56.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$7.58 SAR 28.47

-0.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$37.59 SAR 141

-0.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$1.32 SAR 4.94

148.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.62 SAR 6.08

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$5.72 SAR 21.48

129.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$42.4K SAR 159.2K

-15.35%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$20.5K SAR 77.0K

9.25%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$152 SAR 572

-36.33%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$27.81 SAR 104

16.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$90.8 SAR 341

-24.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$80.0 SAR 300

12.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$8.93 SAR 33.55

515.23%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$13.51 SAR 50.8

-1.63%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$291 SAR 1,091

83.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$5,504 SAR 20.7K

105.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$37.97 SAR 143

55.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$53.8 SAR 202

4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$66.1 SAR 248

60.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$69.1 SAR 260

51.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$568 SAR 2,132

106.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$524 SAR 1,967

58.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$773 SAR 2,902

185.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$570 SAR 2,140

114.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,295 SAR 8,619

27.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,320 SAR 4,956

48.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$1,348 SAR 5,064

52.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

4.17

32.85%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Riyadh versus $568 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 52% 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 $65.0 in Riyadh versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $191 – 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 28% more than Medina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,601 per month in Riyadh and $2,029 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 $533 per month in Riyadh and $291 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $1,352, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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 $1,352 versus $1,734 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.