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: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $1,177 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $1,785 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $2,394 in Umluj.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 47% more expensive than in Umluj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Umluj is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.23

$7.26 SAR 27.27

7.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$36.08 SAR 135

79.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.29

$7.83 SAR 29.39

13.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$2.36 SAR 8.85

25.85%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.78 SAR 14.21

11.90%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.86 SAR 3.24

-1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.25 SAR 0.92

28.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.22 SAR 4.58

2.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.35 SAR 8.81

4.26%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.11 SAR 7.92

51.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.37

$6.69 SAR 25.11

44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.34

$7.95 SAR 29.84

25.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$12.22 SAR 45.89

24.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$1.81 SAR 6.80

44.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

$1.81 SAR 6.80

7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.74 SAR 6.52

35.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.18 SAR 4.42

1.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.35 SAR 5.07

5.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.01 SAR 3.81

69.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.51 SAR 1.91

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.10

$3.21 SAR 12.06

141.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-3.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.02 SAR 7.57

22.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.18

$6.08 SAR 22.81

23.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-8.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$38.99 SAR 146

-3.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.56 SAR 9.61

28.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.62 SAR 6.06

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.30

$14.11 SAR 53.0

-6.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.56 SAR 2.09

5.36%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$44.5K SAR 167.1K

-19.37%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

4.00%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$102 SAR 382

-4.73%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$35.94 SAR 135

-9.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$64.9 SAR 244

5.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$85.5 SAR 321

4.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$33.03 SAR 124

66.33%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.87

$13.99 SAR 52.5

-5.00%

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

$533 SAR 1,999

$359 SAR 1,347

48.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.5K

$6,713 SAR 25.2K

68.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$48.88 SAR 184

20.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$50.3 SAR 189

11.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$82.3 SAR 309

28.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$85.7 SAR 322

21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,406

$590 SAR 2,214

98.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,116

$346 SAR 1,300

139.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,277

$865 SAR 3,248

154.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,593

$554 SAR 2,082

120.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,582 SAR 9,694

13.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,364

$1,346 SAR 5,053

45.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,702

$4,322 SAR 16.2K

-52.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Umluj: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $590 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $36.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $196 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 47% in total monthly costs ($1,734 vs $1,177 including rent). Umluj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 111% 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: $1,174 in Riyadh versus $590 in Umluj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,734 per month in Riyadh versus $1,177 in Umluj – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj runs roughly 4% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,177 in Umluj versus $1,734 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 47% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.