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: $1,736 in Riyadh versus $1,173 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Riyadh versus $1,762 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Riyadh versus $2,351 in Sakakah.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Sakakah is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$5.96 SAR 22.38

29.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$37.04 SAR 139

73.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$7.83 SAR 29.39

7.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.07 SAR 7.78

-12.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$1.58 SAR 5.95

79.75%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$3.52 SAR 13.23

24.43%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.68 SAR 2.55

26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.32 SAR 1.19

6.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.64 SAR 6.17

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.03 SAR 3.87

28.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.24 SAR 8.40

8.04%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.35 SAR 8.82

39.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$7.52 SAR 28.22

26.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$7.89 SAR 29.63

24.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$13.04 SAR 48.97

15.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.04 SAR 7.67

32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.70 SAR 6.39

11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.58 SAR 5.94

46.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.65 SAR 6.21

4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.14 SAR 4.27

-2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.35 SAR 5.07

2.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.20 SAR 4.51

42.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.59 SAR 2.20

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$2.77 SAR 10.40

189.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.76 SAR 6.61

2.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.11 SAR 7.93

16.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$6.50 SAR 24.42

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.03 SAR 3.88

1.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$36.52 SAR 137

1.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$2.99 SAR 11.22

9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.26 SAR 49.79

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.62 SAR 2.35

-4.84%

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$45.0K SAR 168.8K

-21.24%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$21.1K SAR 79.4K

5.52%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$102 SAR 384

-6.59%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$32.61 SAR 122

-2.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$66.1 SAR 248

5.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$82.9 SAR 311

10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$36.86 SAR 138

48.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$13.49 SAR 50.7

2.00%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$347 SAR 1,302

55.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$6,508 SAR 24.4K

71.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$49.93 SAR 187

19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$59.5 SAR 223

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$98.0 SAR 368

12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$88.5 SAR 332

17.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$571 SAR 2,144

108.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$338 SAR 1,267

152.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$860 SAR 3,230

153.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$554 SAR 2,081

129.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$2,316 SAR 8,698

27.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$1,378 SAR 5,175

37.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

$937 SAR 3,517

124.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,189 in Riyadh and $571 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 125% 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: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $37.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $199 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 ($1,736 vs $1,173 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 125% 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: $1,189 in Riyadh versus $571 in Sakakah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,736 per month in Riyadh versus $1,173 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 2% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,173 in Sakakah versus $1,736 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.