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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,348 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $2,016 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,685 in Tabuk.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 29% more expensive than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riyadh 30% above, Tabuk 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$8.75 SAR 32.84

-6.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$27.64 SAR 104

91.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.18 SAR 26.95

12.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.58 SAR 5.94

8.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.91 SAR 7.17

16.75%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.10 SAR 11.64

31.94%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.76 SAR 2.83

-6.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.28 SAR 1.06

3.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.52 SAR 1.94

146.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-13.92%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.69 SAR 10.11

1.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$12.19 SAR 45.75

-29.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$6.68 SAR 25.06

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$12.95 SAR 48.61

12.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$1.98 SAR 7.45

18.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.53 SAR 5.74

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.79 SAR 6.72

3.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-29.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-26.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-27.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.57 SAR 2.13

-7.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.87 SAR 10.79

184.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-3.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.08 SAR 7.81

14.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.50 SAR 28.14

0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.06 SAR 3.97

2.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$39.99 SAR 150

-8.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.69 SAR 10.10

21.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-3.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.20 SAR 49.53

2.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.61 SAR 2.30

3.28%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

29.05%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

3.37%

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

$104 SAR 391

$160 SAR 602

-35.01%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$36.95 SAR 139

-7.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$106 SAR 399

-27.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$88.2 SAR 331

18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.71 SAR 134

63.23%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$25.73 SAR 96.6

-37.16%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$355 SAR 1,334

28.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

15.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

0.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$61.0 SAR 229

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$79.7 SAR 299

33.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$82.7 SAR 310

21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$344 SAR 1,291

211.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$366 SAR 1,374

129.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$822 SAR 3,085

146.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$731 SAR 2,743

49.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

14.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,526 SAR 5,728

26.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$1,707 SAR 6,406

31.95%

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 Tabuk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $344 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 32% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $215 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,348 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 32% 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 $344 in Tabuk. 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 $1,348 in Tabuk – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 9% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,348 in Tabuk versus $1,739 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 29% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.