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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,165 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,656 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,147 in Sakakah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 49% more expensive than Sakakah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Sakakah is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$5.70 SAR 21.39

44.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.82 SAR 168

18.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.88 SAR 29.56

2.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.15 SAR 8.07

-20.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.62 SAR 6.07

37.65%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.65 SAR 13.70

12.05%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.70 SAR 2.64

1.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.31 SAR 1.18

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.64 SAR 6.16

2.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.98 SAR 3.69

30.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.39 SAR 8.96

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.50 SAR 9.39

9.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.78 SAR 25.43

27.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.27 SAR 27.27

37.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.25 SAR 49.71

9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.16 SAR 8.11

8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.59 SAR 5.98

10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.72 SAR 6.46

7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.27 SAR 4.78

1.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.28 SAR 4.81

14.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.19 SAR 4.47

21.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-10.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.97 SAR 11.16

174.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.68 SAR 6.32

1.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.04 SAR 7.65

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.89 SAR 25.88

9.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$39.76 SAR 149

-7.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.61 SAR 9.79

25.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.84 SAR 6.92

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.36 SAR 50.1

0.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.58 SAR 2.19

8.62%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

27.32%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

6.80%

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

$104 SAR 391

$105 SAR 392

-0.31%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$33.71 SAR 127

1.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$72.8 SAR 273

5.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$60.1 SAR 226

74.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.30 SAR 132

65.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.38 SAR 57.7

5.14%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$357 SAR 1,339

28.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$7,040 SAR 26.4K

38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$60.4 SAR 227

-1.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$61.0 SAR 229

4.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$78.1 SAR 293

36.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$80.7 SAR 303

24.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$225 SAR 846

375.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$384 SAR 1,441

119.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$344 SAR 1,291

489.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$301 SAR 1,131

261.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,070 SAR 7,767

48.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,481 SAR 5,559

30.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$918 SAR 3,446

145.30%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $225 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 145% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,165 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 145% more on average, 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: $1,072 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 $1,739 per month in Riyadh versus $1,165 in Sakakah – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,165 in Sakakah versus $1,739 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 49% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.