Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Rabigh Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Rabigh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,776 in Riyadh versus $1,148 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Riyadh versus $1,667 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Riyadh versus $2,186 in Rabigh.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 55% more expensive than Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Rabigh is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$3.90 SAR 14.63

106.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$21.09 SAR 79.1

148.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.29

$7.15 SAR 26.82

12.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.31 SAR 4.93

29.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$0.76 SAR 2.87

196.05%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$2.42 SAR 9.06

65.70%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.64 SAR 2.39

9.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.11 SAR 0.42

163.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.30 SAR 4.88

25.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$0.28 SAR 1.06

364.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.10

$2.34 SAR 8.77

3.85%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.96

$2.22 SAR 8.32

19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.27

$5.48 SAR 20.56

56.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.53

$4.94 SAR 18.55

102.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$12.57 SAR 47.16

16.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.18 SAR 8.17

7.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.60 SAR 6.00

6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.58 SAR 5.92

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.30 SAR 4.87

19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.25 SAR 4.70

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.09 SAR 4.10

33.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.56 SAR 2.09

-1.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$4.14 SAR 15.53

87.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.87 SAR 7.00

-6.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$2.52 SAR 9.45

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.74

$2.72 SAR 10.21

162.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.05 SAR 3.93

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$40.05 SAR 150

-5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.16

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-1.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.82 SAR 6.84

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-9.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.59 SAR 2.23

6.78%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

29.68%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

4.10%

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

$103 SAR 385

$107 SAR 402

-4.26%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$32.50 SAR 122

6.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$69.0 SAR 259

9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 395

$87.0 SAR 326

21.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 218

$35.38 SAR 133

64.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$13.54 SAR 50.8

16.62%

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

$459 SAR 1,723

$401 SAR 1,504

14.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

46.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$63.6 SAR 239

-5.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$58.4 SAR 219

9.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$93.5 SAR 351

13.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$82.9 SAR 311

21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,063

$282 SAR 1,059

283.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,185

$382 SAR 1,434

122.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,654

$523 SAR 1,962

290.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,227

$620 SAR 2,326

81.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

$2,005 SAR 7,525

55.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

$1,394 SAR 5,231

40.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.5

18.00%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Riyadh and $282 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Riyadh vs $21.00 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $164 per month, with Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabigh is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,665 in Riyadh and $1,722 in Rabigh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,083 in Riyadh versus $282 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Riyadh versus $1,148 in Rabigh – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 5% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rabigh is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Riyadh, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Riyadh and Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.