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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,240 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,858 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,477 in Umluj.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 40% more expensive than Umluj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Umluj is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.77 SAR 25.41

21.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$45.00 SAR 169

17.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.91 SAR 29.68

2.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.70 SAR 6.39

0.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.76 SAR 6.60

26.70%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.74 SAR 14.04

9.36%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.79 SAR 2.97

-10.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.29 SAR 1.08

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.63 SAR 6.13

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.99 SAR 3.72

29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.42 SAR 9.06

12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.72 SAR 25.24

28.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.66 SAR 28.76

30.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$13.19 SAR 49.49

10.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.28 SAR 8.54

3.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.63 SAR 6.13

7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.67 SAR 6.27

10.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.57 SAR 5.89

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.24 SAR 4.64

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.28 SAR 4.81

14.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.20 SAR 4.49

20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-8.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$2.44 SAR 9.16

234.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.68 SAR 6.32

1.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.01 SAR 7.53

18.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.13 SAR 26.77

5.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.09 SAR 4.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.32 SAR 151

-8.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.73 SAR 10.25

20.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.10 SAR 49.18

2.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.65 SAR 2.42

-3.08%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

28.22%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

2.99%

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

$104 SAR 391

$107 SAR 400

-2.31%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$33.82 SAR 127

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$72.4 SAR 272

6.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$87.7 SAR 329

19.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.18 SAR 132

65.69%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.95 SAR 59.9

1.38%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$359 SAR 1,348

27.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$6,949 SAR 26.1K

40.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.8 SAR 224

-0.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$60.8 SAR 228

5.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$80.5 SAR 302

32.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$81.8 SAR 307

22.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$447 SAR 1,676

140.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$380 SAR 1,427

121.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$839 SAR 3,150

141.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$633 SAR 2,375

72.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,592 SAR 9,729

18.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,485 SAR 5,574

30.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$4,306 SAR 16.2K

-47.70%

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 Umluj: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $447 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 91% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $45.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $197 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,240 including rent). Umluj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Umluj earns 91% less. 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $447 in Umluj. 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 $1,240 in Umluj – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj runs roughly 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,240 in Umluj versus $1,739 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 40% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.