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: $1,736 in Riyadh versus $1,136 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,592 in Riyadh versus $1,602 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,447 in Riyadh versus $2,067 in Taif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 53% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Taif is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.72 SAR 28.99

$4.57 SAR 17.14

68.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 SAR 241

$36.49 SAR 137

76.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 SAR 31.49

$6.85 SAR 25.72

22.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-4.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 SAR 10.67

$1.54 SAR 5.80

84.42%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.44

$2.98 SAR 11.19

46.98%

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

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$0.63 SAR 2.36

36.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.23 SAR 0.87

47.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.49 SAR 5.61

14.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$0.25 SAR 0.94

428.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 SAR 9.07

$2.28 SAR 8.55

6.14%

Eggs

$3.27 SAR 12.29

$2.47 SAR 9.28

32.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 SAR 35.87

$7.18 SAR 26.97

33.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.80 SAR 36.81

$6.35 SAR 23.84

54.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 SAR 56.3

$10.65 SAR 40.01

40.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.27 SAR 8.53

18.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.81 SAR 6.79

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.75 SAR 6.57

32.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.81 SAR 6.79

-4.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.47 SAR 5.52

-24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-19.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$0.81 SAR 3.04

111.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.95 SAR 3.55

-37.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.02 SAR 30.12

$2.70 SAR 10.14

197.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.75 SAR 6.57

2.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$1.42 SAR 5.34

73.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$6.50 SAR 24.39

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.08 SAR 4.04

-2.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.11 SAR 139

$36.44 SAR 137

1.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$1.31 SAR 4.90

148.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-32.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.59 SAR 2.21

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

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

-21.92%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

18.97%

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

$95.6 SAR 359

$110 SAR 413

-13.14%

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

$31.83 SAR 120

$27.31 SAR 103

16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 SAR 263

$87.3 SAR 328

-19.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.6 SAR 344

$118 SAR 444

-22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.8 SAR 206

$30.41 SAR 114

80.24%

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 SAR 51.7

$17.29 SAR 64.9

-20.42%

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

$539 SAR 2,023

$239 SAR 896

125.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

154.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$20.72 SAR 77.8

189.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$59.3 SAR 223

-1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SAR 415

$97.1 SAR 365

13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 391

$46.27 SAR 174

124.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 SAR 4,464

$1,205 SAR 4,525

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 SAR 3,195

$346 SAR 1,300

145.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,177 SAR 8,174

$870 SAR 3,268

150.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,274 SAR 4,782

$325 SAR 1,222

291.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

$2,389 SAR 8,970

23.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,891 SAR 7,100

$1,368 SAR 5,135

38.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,104 SAR 7,902

$1,768 SAR 6,638

19.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

3.6

53.89%

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

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,189 in Riyadh and $1,205 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 19% 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 $36.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $182 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,736 vs $1,136 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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 $1,205 in Taif. 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 $1,136 in Taif – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taif runs roughly 2% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Taif versus $1,736 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 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.