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: $1,770 in Riyadh versus $1,153 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,504 in Riyadh versus $1,677 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,239 in Riyadh versus $2,202 in Rabigh.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 54% more expensive than Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Rabigh is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.12 SAR 30.46

$3.95 SAR 14.81

105.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$21.47 SAR 80.5

146.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.43

$7.30 SAR 27.38

11.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.37 SAR 5.12

29.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.39

$0.76 SAR 2.86

194.74%

Cappuccino

$4.15 SAR 15.56

$2.47 SAR 9.25

68.02%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$0.70 SAR 2.61

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.12 SAR 0.46

141.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.09

$1.35 SAR 5.07

20.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$0.26 SAR 0.97

384.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.31 SAR 8.68

6.06%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$2.22 SAR 8.31

21.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.44

$5.26 SAR 19.74

64.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 SAR 38.13

$4.77 SAR 17.88

113.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 SAR 55.2

$12.66 SAR 47.47

16.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.46

$2.09 SAR 7.83

8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.63 SAR 6.11

4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$1.61 SAR 6.04

11.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.75

$1.35 SAR 5.08

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.25 SAR 4.70

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.69

$1.26 SAR 4.72

20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$1.06 SAR 3.99

30.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.57

$4.20 SAR 15.77

94.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.98 SAR 7.41

-12.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.53 SAR 9.49

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.23 SAR 27.12

$2.70 SAR 10.12

167.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

4.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.73 SAR 141

$39.44 SAR 148

-4.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.20

$3.14 SAR 11.77

3.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.83 SAR 6.86

3.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.50 SAR 50.6

$15.24 SAR 57.2

-11.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.59 SAR 2.21

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

29.52%

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

$23.6K SAR 88.4K

$21.3K SAR 79.7K

10.85%

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

$106 SAR 398

$105 SAR 393

1.32%

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

$35.49 SAR 133

$32.00 SAR 120

10.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$69.0 SAR 259

9.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$86.2 SAR 323

25.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.7 SAR 220

$35.52 SAR 133

65.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SAR 58.8

$13.15 SAR 49.32

19.32%

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

$449 SAR 1,685

$409 SAR 1,533

9.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,572 SAR 35.9K

$6,615 SAR 24.8K

44.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 SAR 219

$64.1 SAR 240

-8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 SAR 239

$58.8 SAR 220

8.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 405

$93.2 SAR 350

15.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 SAR 369

$84.3 SAR 316

16.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,118

$283 SAR 1,061

288.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 SAR 3,206

$380 SAR 1,424

125.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,070 SAR 7,762

$529 SAR 1,985

291.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 SAR 4,246

$632 SAR 2,370

79.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 SAR 11.0K

$2,036 SAR 7,634

43.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 SAR 7,163

$1,187 SAR 4,450

60.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,386 SAR 8,947

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,098 in Riyadh and $283 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53 in Riyadh vs $21 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $163 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,654 in Riyadh and $1,729 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: $1,098 in Riyadh versus $283 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,770 per month in Riyadh versus $1,153 in Rabigh – a 54% 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 $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,770 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 54% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.