Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Rabigh

For one person, living is cheaper in Rabigh: $953 a month against $1,738 in Riyadh, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

83

Cost of Living Index in Riyadh
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Riyadh Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Rabigh
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Rabigh Living Index

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Riyadh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,738

/mo nomad

Rabigh

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$953

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Riyadh and in Rabigh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Riyadh and in Rabigh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,738 in Riyadh versus $953 in Rabigh.

Riyadh $1,738
Rabigh $953

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,587 in Riyadh versus $1,456 in Rabigh.

Riyadh $2,587
Rabigh $1,456

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,437 in Riyadh versus $1,960 in Rabigh.

Riyadh $3,437
Rabigh $1,960

Living in Riyadh is roughly 82% more expensive than in Rabigh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 28% above, Rabigh is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.38

$4.66 SAR 17.49

73.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.3 SAR 245

$26.40 SAR 99.1

147.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.69

$6.97 SAR 26.15

17.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.52 SAR 5.72

42.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

$1.58 SAR 5.93

87.97%

Cappuccino

$4.30 SAR 16.14

$2.57 SAR 9.63

67.32%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.18

$0.70 SAR 2.63

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.23 SAR 0.86

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SAR 6.85

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-2.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.02 SAR 3.82

28.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.19 SAR 8.23

8.22%

Eggs

$3.04 SAR 11.41

$2.56 SAR 9.61

18.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.42

$6.08 SAR 22.80

77.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 SAR 35.18

$12.04 SAR 45.18

-22.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.98 SAR 56.2

$12.95 SAR 48.60

15.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

$2.08 SAR 7.81

37.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.62 SAR 6.08

17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.26

$1.80 SAR 6.76

37.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

$1.50 SAR 5.63

14.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-11.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-15.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

$1.06 SAR 3.97

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.17

$0.74 SAR 2.77

-21.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.59

$2.89 SAR 10.84

182.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.19 SAR 8.22

-16.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$1.56 SAR 5.85

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 SAR 29.46

$7.94 SAR 29.80

-1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.07 SAR 143

$33.60 SAR 126

13.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 SAR 11.75

$2.41 SAR 9.06

29.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$2.61 SAR 9.80

-26.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.31 SAR 49.93

$13.48 SAR 50.6

-1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.61 SAR 2.27

-1.64%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-1.62%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

3.89%

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

$108 SAR 404

$66.6 SAR 250

61.49%

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

$29.62 SAR 111

$34.24 SAR 128

-13.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 266

$63.8 SAR 239

11.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.0 SAR 312

$74.0 SAR 278

12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$57.3 SAR 215

Cinema Ticket

$13.31 SAR 49.96

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-13.29%

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

$554 SAR 2,078

$428 SAR 1,606

29.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K SAR 37.9K

$7,737 SAR 29.0K

30.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 SAR 217

$13.32 SAR 49.99

333.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 SAR 204

$55.3 SAR 207

-1.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 SAR 391

$39.72 SAR 149

162.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 SAR 393

$53.7 SAR 201

95.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 SAR 4,312

$335 SAR 1,258

242.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,128

$244 SAR 917

241.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,166 SAR 8,128

$610 SAR 2,291

254.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 SAR 4,788

$424 SAR 1,591

200.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,779 SAR 10.4K

$1,728 SAR 6,484

60.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,718 SAR 6,446

$1,478 SAR 5,546

16.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.25

5.52%

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

Last update for Riyadh: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Riyadh

$833 48%

Rabigh

$244 25.7% 70.7% $589

Groceries & Markets

Riyadh

$241 13.9%

Rabigh

$220 23.1% 8.8% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Riyadh

$208 12%

Rabigh

$165 17.3% 20.9% $43

Eating Out

Riyadh

$145 8.4%

Rabigh

$93 9.7% 36.3% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Riyadh

$144 8.3%

Rabigh

$73 7.7% 49.5% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Riyadh

$110 6.3%

Rabigh

$105 11% 4.6% $5

Getting Around

Riyadh

$55 3.2%

Rabigh

$53 5.6% 2.7% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,149 in Riyadh and $335 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $65 in Riyadh vs $26 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $220 per month, with Rabigh cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Riyadh

🇸🇦 Rabigh

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

Same time as Riyadh

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,188,286 Capital

92,072

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Riyadh Rabigh 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Riyadh
Rabigh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 clothing, eating out, and groceries. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $2,606 in Riyadh and $1,429 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: $1,149 in Riyadh versus $335 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,738 per month in Riyadh versus $953 in Rabigh – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 12% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your 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 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 45% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.