Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Sakakah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Sakakah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,191 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,635 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,079 in Sakakah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 48% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Sakakah is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$5.89 SAR 22.10

39.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$44.60 SAR 167

20.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.75 SAR 29.12

2.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$2.10 SAR 7.90

-19.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.62 SAR 6.08

42.59%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.66 SAR 13.75

8.74%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.65 SAR 2.44

18.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-8.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.63 SAR 6.13

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.98 SAR 3.69

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.30 SAR 8.65

2.61%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.48 SAR 9.33

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$7.07 SAR 26.56

19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.62 SAR 28.60

29.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.82 SAR 48.15

13.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.19 SAR 8.24

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.65 SAR 6.19

5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.70 SAR 6.37

10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.57 SAR 5.89

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.22 SAR 4.60

2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.27 SAR 4.76

14.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.23 SAR 4.62

16.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.54 SAR 2.04

-3.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.49 SAR 9.36

216.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.70 SAR 6.39

5.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.03 SAR 7.61

18.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.19 SAR 26.99

3.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.92

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.73 SAR 153

-9.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.70 SAR 10.14

19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.89 SAR 7.08

-2.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.30 SAR 49.93

-0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$27.0K SAR 101.5K

29.79%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

3.94%

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

$106 SAR 398

$107 SAR 401

-0.85%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$34.33 SAR 129

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$72.9 SAR 274

5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$59.6 SAR 224

78.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.80 SAR 134

67.35%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.68 SAR 58.9

3.44%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$356 SAR 1,336

30.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$7,006 SAR 26.3K

36.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$60.0 SAR 225

8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$78.0 SAR 293

41.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$81.8 SAR 307

23.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$225 SAR 844

393.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$374 SAR 1,403

125.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$347 SAR 1,304

483.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$309 SAR 1,161

264.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,043 SAR 7,670

42.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,506 SAR 5,654

28.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$923 SAR 3,467

118.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $225 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 119% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $196 per month, with Sakakah 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Sakakah differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,191 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 119% higher in Riyadh, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $225 in Sakakah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,758 per month in Riyadh versus $1,191 in Sakakah – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,191 in Sakakah versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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 Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.