Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Najran Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Najran

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,719 per month in Riyadh vs $1,184 in Najran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,562 per month in Riyadh vs $1,826 in Najran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,405 per month in Riyadh vs $2,468 in Najran, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Najran, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Najran is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$8.10 SAR 30.42

-3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$36.98 SAR 139

72.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$8.57 SAR 32.21

-8.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.76 SAR 6.62

18.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.36 SAR 5.12

119.12%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.05

$4.28 SAR 16.08

6.07%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.78 SAR 2.92

6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.30 SAR 1.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-36.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.16 SAR 4.36

3.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.14 SAR 8.03

6.54%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.42 SAR 9.09

26.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$7.44 SAR 27.95

34.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$6.08 SAR 22.83

67.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$14.38 SAR 54.0

9.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.07 SAR 7.79

30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.68 SAR 6.32

10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.61 SAR 6.04

40.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.66 SAR 6.25

2.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.13 SAR 4.24

7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.31 SAR 4.93

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.37 SAR 5.14

23.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-15.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.73 SAR 10.24

189.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.62 SAR 6.07

14.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.14 SAR 8.05

21.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.70 SAR 25.16

14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$36.42 SAR 137

1.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.00 SAR 11.27

6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.75 SAR 6.58

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.41 SAR 50.4

1.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.50 SAR 1.86

28.00%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

-22.36%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

3.30%

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

$100 SAR 376

$99.8 SAR 375

0.45%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$32.08 SAR 120

3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$67.0 SAR 252

3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$83.9 SAR 315

8.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$37.65 SAR 141

48.55%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-0.37%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$346 SAR 1,298

55.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$6,731 SAR 25.3K

60.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$50.0 SAR 188

18.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$57.2 SAR 215

-6.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$96.7 SAR 363

14.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$90.0 SAR 338

15.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$585 SAR 2,196

99.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$345 SAR 1,294

136.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,114

$894 SAR 3,359

141.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$551 SAR 2,070

121.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,403 SAR 9,025

21.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,387 SAR 5,209

39.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$1,703 SAR 6,398

20.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Najran: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,169 in Riyadh versus $585 in Najran. 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 20% 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 $64.0 in Riyadh versus $37.00 in Najran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $206 – making Najran 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 Najran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh costs about 45% more than Najran, 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 $2,579 per month in Riyadh and $1,776 in Najran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1% less in Najran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $537 per month in Riyadh and $346 in Najran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Najran, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Riyadh at $1,719. In Najran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Najran costs $1,184 versus $1,719 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 Najran. 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.