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: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $1,080 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,638 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $2,196 in Qatif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 59% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Qatif is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$3.56 SAR 13.38

119.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$35.17 SAR 132

81.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.67 SAR 25.07

17.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.89 SAR 7.10

10.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$2.20 SAR 8.27

35.45%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$2.95 SAR 11.07

53.90%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.73 SAR 2.73

13.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.15 SAR 0.58

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-5.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.94 SAR 3.53

27.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$1.95 SAR 7.31

16.92%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.11 SAR 7.93

45.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$5.70 SAR 21.42

75.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$7.80 SAR 29.31

30.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$12.98 SAR 48.76

20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.18 SAR 8.20

23.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.72 SAR 6.45

8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.59 SAR 5.96

42.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$0.64 SAR 2.39

165.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.12 SAR 4.21

8.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.10 SAR 4.12

20.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$0.91 SAR 3.41

85.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.50 SAR 1.89

8.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.63 SAR 9.87

200.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.49 SAR 5.61

24.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.17 SAR 8.14

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.62 SAR 24.85

15.56%

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

$36.12 SAR 136

2.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$2.36 SAR 8.86

34.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$0.51 SAR 1.92

256.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.10 SAR 49.20

3.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.61 SAR 2.30

4.92%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

-1.56%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

6.71%

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

$100 SAR 376

$103 SAR 388

-2.93%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$33.42 SAR 126

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$58.3 SAR 219

18.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$82.7 SAR 311

9.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$37.55 SAR 141

48.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.21 SAR 49.60

1.97%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$270 SAR 1,015

98.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

38.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$31.48 SAR 118

88.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$20.90 SAR 78.5

155.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$94.6 SAR 355

16.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$90.4 SAR 340

14.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$574 SAR 2,157

103.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$346 SAR 1,298

135.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$873 SAR 3,281

147.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$547 SAR 2,055

122.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$951 SAR 3,573

207.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$783 SAR 2,942

146.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$2,249 SAR 8,448

-8.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.5

0.73%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $574 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $35.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $184 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 59% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,080 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Qatif. 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $574 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 $35.00 versus $64.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Riyadh versus $1,080 in Qatif – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,719 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 59% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.