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: $1,753 in Riyadh versus $1,121 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,529 in Riyadh versus $1,674 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Riyadh versus $2,228 in Rabigh.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 56% more expensive than in Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Rabigh is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$4.04 SAR 15.16

92.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$21.35 SAR 80.2

146.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.26 SAR 27.25

12.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.36 SAR 5.11

30.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$0.77 SAR 2.90

185.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$2.42 SAR 9.08

64.88%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.66 SAR 2.47

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.13 SAR 0.49

138.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.35 SAR 5.06

19.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.26 SAR 0.98

407.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.29 SAR 8.61

3.49%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$2.20 SAR 8.25

19.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$5.23 SAR 19.63

56.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.13

$4.71 SAR 17.68

109.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$12.71 SAR 47.73

13.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.12 SAR 7.96

5.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.62 SAR 6.09

3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.57 SAR 5.88

14.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.35 SAR 5.07

18.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-2.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.66

$1.26 SAR 4.74

19.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.07 SAR 4.01

28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.21

$4.13 SAR 15.49

94.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.96 SAR 7.37

-9.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-8.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.67

$2.63 SAR 9.86

180.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.05 SAR 3.92

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$39.83 SAR 150

-7.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$3.23 SAR 12.11

0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$1.84 SAR 6.91

3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-11.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

31.06%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

8.07%

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

$103 SAR 387

$107 SAR 403

-3.93%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$31.87 SAR 120

9.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$70.1 SAR 263

7.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$86.6 SAR 325

24.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$35.88 SAR 135

66.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$13.39 SAR 50.3

21.21%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$402 SAR 1,508

13.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

46.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$64.7 SAR 243

-7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$57.9 SAR 217

9.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 406

$94.2 SAR 354

14.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$85.1 SAR 319

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,101

$284 SAR 1,064

285.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,127

$387 SAR 1,453

115.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,538

$523 SAR 1,965

283.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,242

$622 SAR 2,334

81.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

10.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,378

$1,488 SAR 5,585

32.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,881

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,092 in Riyadh and $284 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $21.00 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,629 in Riyadh and $1,681 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: $1,092 in Riyadh versus $284 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,753 per month in Riyadh versus $1,121 in Rabigh – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,121 in Rabigh versus $1,753 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 56% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.