Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Taif Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Taif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $922 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,467 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,011 in Taif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 89% more expensive than Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Taif is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$5.25 SAR 19.69

56.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.17 SAR 151

31.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$6.71 SAR 25.18

20.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-16.99%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.58 SAR 5.94

41.14%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$2.92 SAR 10.96

40.07%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.72 SAR 2.70

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.26 SAR 0.97

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.37 SAR 5.14

22.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.26 SAR 0.96

392.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-0.42%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.56 SAR 9.61

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$7.38 SAR 27.70

17.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$5.99 SAR 22.49

67.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$10.73 SAR 40.25

35.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.28 SAR 8.55

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.59 SAR 5.96

10.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-8.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-20.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-11.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.56 SAR 5.87

-5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$0.85 SAR 3.19

70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.97 SAR 3.65

-45.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.88 SAR 10.81

183.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-10.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.63 SAR 6.14

46.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.55 SAR 24.56

15.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.08 SAR 4.07

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.19 SAR 151

-8.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.72 SAR 10.21

20.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-9.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.18 SAR 49.45

2.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.26

5.00%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

73.00%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

17.19%

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

$104 SAR 391

$73.2 SAR 275

42.30%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$28.41 SAR 107

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$88.5 SAR 332

-13.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$76.0 SAR 285

38.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$37.04 SAR 139

57.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$17.58 SAR 66.0

-8.02%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$264 SAR 991

73.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

75.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$38.85 SAR 146

53.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$42.12 SAR 158

52.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$79.9 SAR 300

33.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$46.88 SAR 176

113.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$214 SAR 804

400.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$173 SAR 649

386.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$433 SAR 1,626

367.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$349 SAR 1,309

212.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,130 SAR 7,993

44.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,248 SAR 4,685

54.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$2,031 SAR 7,622

10.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.6

15.43%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taif: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $214 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 11% 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 $40.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $181 per month, with Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Taif differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $922 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 11% 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 $214 in Taif. 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 $922 in Taif – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $922 in Taif versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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 Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.