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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,074 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,666 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,258 in Qatif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 64% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Qatif is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$3.53 SAR 13.27

132.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$48.80 SAR 183

10.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$8.08 SAR 30.34

-1.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-7.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.84 SAR 6.91

25.54%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.69 SAR 13.85

7.86%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.82 SAR 3.06

-6.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.28 SAR 1.06

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.88 SAR 3.29

51.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.11 SAR 7.91

11.85%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.31 SAR 8.69

16.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.32 SAR 23.71

34.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.25 SAR 27.22

36.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$10.11 SAR 37.97

43.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.17 SAR 8.14

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.54 SAR 5.78

12.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.43 SAR 5.38

31.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$0.76 SAR 2.85

109.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.22 SAR 4.58

2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.34 SAR 5.03

8.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.15 SAR 4.32

24.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.68 SAR 10.05

193.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.61 SAR 6.04

11.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.98 SAR 7.44

21.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.80 SAR 29.28

-5.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.31 SAR 151

-8.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.64 SAR 6.16

12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.48 SAR 50.6

-2.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-1.54%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

56.79%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

18.35%

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

$106 SAR 398

$106 SAR 397

0.02%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$37.03 SAR 139

-5.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$59.7 SAR 224

28.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$95.5 SAR 359

11.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$56.9 SAR 214

5.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.13 SAR 56.8

7.20%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$392 SAR 1,472

18.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$8,325 SAR 31.3K

14.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$51.7 SAR 194

12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$49.87 SAR 187

30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$90.4 SAR 340

21.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$84.7 SAR 318

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$357 SAR 1,339

211.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$290 SAR 1,089

190.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$698 SAR 2,620

190.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$491 SAR 1,845

129.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$943 SAR 3,541

208.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$788 SAR 2,960

145.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$2,281 SAR 8,564

-11.41%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $357 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $49.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $176 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,074 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $357 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 $49.00 versus $54.0 in Riyadh. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,074 in Qatif – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,074 in Qatif versus $1,758 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 64% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.