Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Tabuk Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Tabuk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $1,244 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,848 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $2,453 in Tabuk.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 38% more expensive than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Tabuk is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.37

$7.55 SAR 28.33

3.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$32.11 SAR 121

98.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$7.70 SAR 28.92

2.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.37 SAR 5.14

52.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.59 SAR 5.97

87.42%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.13 SAR 11.76

45.05%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.72 SAR 2.72

15.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.26 SAR 0.97

15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-15.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.92 SAR 3.46

30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-15.87%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.82 SAR 10.60

8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.64

$12.47 SAR 46.83

-19.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.17

$6.82 SAR 25.62

48.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$13.20 SAR 49.57

18.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.95 SAR 7.31

38.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.99

$1.66 SAR 6.24

12.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.74 SAR 6.53

30.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$2.24 SAR 8.40

-24.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-30.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-35.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-11.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-1.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.62

$2.72 SAR 10.21

190.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.69 SAR 6.35

9.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.09 SAR 7.86

23.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.73

$6.73 SAR 25.29

13.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-1.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$35.75 SAR 134

3.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$2.98 SAR 11.20

6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.76 SAR 6.61

3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.11 SAR 49.22

3.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.66 SAR 2.49

-3.03%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

-22.87%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

2.43%

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

$100 SAR 376

$101 SAR 379

-0.64%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$36.18 SAR 136

-8.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$76.6 SAR 288

-9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$84.8 SAR 319

7.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$37.50 SAR 141

49.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.26 SAR 49.78

1.58%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$351 SAR 1,316

53.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.4K

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

28.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$50.7 SAR 190

17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$57.1 SAR 214

-6.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$95.7 SAR 359

15.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$87.0 SAR 327

19.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,390

$337 SAR 1,267

246.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,062

$371 SAR 1,392

119.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,112

$631 SAR 2,368

242.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,578

$610 SAR 2,289

99.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,335 SAR 8,768

25.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,264

$1,399 SAR 5,254

38.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,708

$1,697 SAR 6,372

20.97%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $337 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 21% 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 $32.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $224 per month, with Tabuk 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Tabuk differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,244 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 21% 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $337 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Riyadh versus $1,244 in Tabuk – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 3% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,244 in Tabuk versus $1,719 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tabuk but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Tabuk 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 Tabuk 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 Tabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.