Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Qatif Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Qatif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,085 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,695 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,304 in Qatif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 60% more expensive than Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Qatif is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$3.41 SAR 12.78

140.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$48.15 SAR 181

10.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.98 SAR 29.94

1.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-6.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.85 SAR 6.94

20.54%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.57 SAR 13.40

14.57%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.81 SAR 3.05

-12.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.26 SAR 0.97

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.67 SAR 6.26

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.88 SAR 3.28

45.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.04 SAR 7.67

15.20%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.24 SAR 8.39

21.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.02 SAR 22.58

43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.12 SAR 26.72

40.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$10.07 SAR 37.80

44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.19 SAR 8.24

7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.55 SAR 5.82

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.46 SAR 5.47

26.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$0.75 SAR 2.83

104.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.28 SAR 4.81

0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.33 SAR 4.98

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.11 SAR 4.15

30.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.55 SAR 2.07

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.65 SAR 9.94

207.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.54 SAR 5.79

11.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.97 SAR 7.40

20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.56 SAR 28.38

-0.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.22 SAR 151

-8.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$3.19 SAR 11.97

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.61 SAR 6.05

14.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.12 SAR 49.23

2.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.27

5.00%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

48.45%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$19.8K SAR 74.5K

18.01%

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

$104 SAR 391

$106 SAR 399

-2.08%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$36.49 SAR 137

-6.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$59.3 SAR 223

29.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$93.5 SAR 351

12.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$56.3 SAR 211

3.59%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.15 SAR 56.9

6.73%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$394 SAR 1,480

15.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$8,379 SAR 31.4K

16.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$52.4 SAR 197

13.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$51.0 SAR 191

25.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$90.3 SAR 339

18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$87.3 SAR 328

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$361 SAR 1,355

197.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$292 SAR 1,096

187.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$720 SAR 2,703

181.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$488 SAR 1,832

123.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$942 SAR 3,534

226.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$797 SAR 2,991

142.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$2,301 SAR 8,635

-2.12%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Qatif: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $361 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $48.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $174 per month, with Qatif cheaper across the board.

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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Qatif differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,085 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Qatif earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $361 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Qatif – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $53.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,739 per month in Riyadh versus $1,085 in Qatif – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,085 in Qatif versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.