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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,311 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,991 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,672 in Tabuk.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 34% more expensive than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Tabuk is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$8.51 SAR 31.96

-3.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$27.73 SAR 104

94.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.36 SAR 27.65

8.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.56 SAR 5.84

8.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.84 SAR 6.92

25.54%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$3.05 SAR 11.44

30.49%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.75 SAR 2.80

2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.26 SAR 0.97

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-11.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.56 SAR 2.09

137.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.71 SAR 10.17

-12.92%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.62 SAR 9.85

2.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$12.54 SAR 47.08

-32.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$6.59 SAR 24.75

50.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$13.09 SAR 49.14

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.00 SAR 7.52

16.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.61 SAR 6.04

8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.79 SAR 6.74

5.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-26.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$2.09 SAR 7.84

-30.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-26.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.62 SAR 2.32

-16.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.86 SAR 10.74

175.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.70 SAR 6.38

5.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.08 SAR 7.82

15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.63 SAR 28.65

-2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.43 SAR 148

-6.47%

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

$1.82 SAR 6.82

1.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.65 SAR 2.45

-1.54%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.7K SAR 100.4K

31.23%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

4.49%

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

$106 SAR 398

$161 SAR 604

-34.15%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$37.11 SAR 139

-5.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$104 SAR 391

-26.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$88.5 SAR 332

20.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.85 SAR 135

67.11%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$25.80 SAR 96.9

-37.13%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$352 SAR 1,321

32.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$8,390 SAR 31.5K

13.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$58.9 SAR 221

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$59.2 SAR 222

9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$78.5 SAR 295

40.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$82.4 SAR 309

22.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$336 SAR 1,263

229.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$366 SAR 1,375

130.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$812 SAR 3,049

149.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$737 SAR 2,769

52.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,566 SAR 9,636

13.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,533 SAR 5,755

26.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,762 SAR 6,616

14.66%

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 Tabuk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $336 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 15% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $218 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,311 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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 $336 in Tabuk. 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 $1,311 in Tabuk – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 7% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,311 in Tabuk versus $1,758 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 34% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.