Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Umluj Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Umluj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,218 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,841 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,463 in Umluj.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 44% more expensive than in Umluj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Umluj is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.59 SAR 24.75

24.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$44.44 SAR 167

21.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.81 SAR 29.33

2.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-3.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.77 SAR 6.65

30.51%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.74 SAR 14.03

6.42%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.74 SAR 2.78

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.65 SAR 6.20

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.99 SAR 3.70

34.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.30 SAR 8.64

2.61%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.45 SAR 9.19

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.72 SAR 25.24

26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.30 SAR 27.41

35.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.97 SAR 48.71

11.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.19 SAR 8.21

5.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.64 SAR 6.16

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.75 SAR 6.57

7.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.61 SAR 6.04

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.25 SAR 4.69

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.28 SAR 4.81

14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.24 SAR 4.64

15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.56 SAR 2.09

-7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.76 SAR 10.38

185.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.71 SAR 6.43

4.68%

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

$6.87 SAR 25.81

7.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$39.50 SAR 148

-6.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.61 SAR 9.79

23.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.24 SAR 49.71

-0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.64 SAR 2.42

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

31.68%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

4.24%

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

$106 SAR 398

$107 SAR 401

-0.77%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.75 SAR 127

4.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$71.7 SAR 269

7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$87.3 SAR 328

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.50 SAR 133

68.76%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.76 SAR 59.2

2.92%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$355 SAR 1,332

31.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

35.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.0 SAR 221

-1.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$60.1 SAR 226

8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$80.4 SAR 302

36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$82.0 SAR 308

22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$436 SAR 1,638

154.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$377 SAR 1,414

123.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$840 SAR 3,156

141.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$621 SAR 2,332

81.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,132 SAR 8,006

36.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,522 SAR 5,715

27.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$4,245 SAR 15.9K

-52.41%

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 Umluj: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $436 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 110% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Riyadh vs $44.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $195 per month, with Umluj 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 Umluj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Umluj differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,218 including rent). Umluj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 110% lower in Umluj. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $436 in Umluj. 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 $1,218 in Umluj – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umluj but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Umluj 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 Umluj 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 Umluj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.