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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $916 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,470 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,023 in Taif.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 92% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Taif is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$5.30 SAR 19.91

54.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$40.54 SAR 152

32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$6.80 SAR 25.53

17.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.96 SAR 7.35

-13.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.58 SAR 5.95

46.20%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.93

$2.94 SAR 11.04

35.37%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.77 SAR 2.91

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.28 SAR 1.06

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.36 SAR 5.10

24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.28 SAR 1.05

375.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.29 SAR 8.59

3.06%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.58 SAR 9.70

4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$7.26 SAR 27.28

16.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$6.23 SAR 23.38

58.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$10.61 SAR 39.86

36.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.28 SAR 8.57

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.62 SAR 6.09

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.98 SAR 7.45

-5.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.44 SAR 5.40

-13.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$0.93 SAR 3.48

53.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.03 SAR 3.87

-49.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.87 SAR 10.79

174.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-7.25%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$1.62 SAR 6.07

48.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.73 SAR 25.26

10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.58 SAR 149

-6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.62 SAR 9.85

22.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-8.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.06 SAR 49.03

1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

75.54%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

14.01%

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

$106 SAR 398

$75.3 SAR 283

40.67%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$28.59 SAR 107

22.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$85.9 SAR 323

-10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$76.7 SAR 288

38.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$37.83 SAR 142

58.37%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$17.16 SAR 64.4

-5.48%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$263 SAR 986

77.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

69.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$39.70 SAR 149

46.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$41.96 SAR 158

55.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$77.7 SAR 292

41.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$47.39 SAR 178

112.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$215 SAR 808

415.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$172 SAR 644

391.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,607

$437 SAR 1,642

363.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$347 SAR 1,301

225.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,332 SAR 8,755

24.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,352 SAR 5,076

43.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$1,814 SAR 6,811

11.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $215 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: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $41.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 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 92% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $916 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% 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 $215 in Taif. 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 $916 in Taif – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $916 in Taif versus $1,758 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 92% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.