Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Unaizah Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Unaizah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $1,101 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,694 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $2,286 in Unaizah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 56% more expensive than in Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Unaizah is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$6.62 SAR 24.85

18.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$39.80 SAR 149

60.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.98 SAR 26.23

12.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.65 SAR 6.19

26.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.37 SAR 5.13

117.52%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.99 SAR 14.99

13.78%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.74 SAR 2.77

12.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.28 SAR 1.06

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.47 SAR 5.54

13.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.31 SAR 1.17

287.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.14 SAR 8.03

6.54%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.40 SAR 9.02

27.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$5.92 SAR 22.23

69.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$4.60 SAR 17.26

120.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$12.73 SAR 47.81

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.15 SAR 8.08

25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.58 SAR 5.95

17.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.54 SAR 5.80

47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.68 SAR 6.33

1.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.18 SAR 4.44

2.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-49.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.14 SAR 4.27

48.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-15.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$2.84 SAR 10.66

177.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.69 SAR 6.35

9.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.17 SAR 8.14

19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.56 SAR 24.63

16.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.06 SAR 3.98

1.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$36.06 SAR 135

2.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$2.86 SAR 10.72

11.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$1.81 SAR 6.80

0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.51 SAR 50.7

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

-23.87%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

3.18%

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

$100 SAR 376

$99.6 SAR 374

0.62%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$31.98 SAR 120

3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$68.1 SAR 256

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$53.8 SAR 202

68.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$36.87 SAR 139

51.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$13.10 SAR 49.22

2.82%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$347 SAR 1,303

54.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

60.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$50.7 SAR 190

17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$59.1 SAR 222

-9.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$96.8 SAR 364

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$89.2 SAR 335

16.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$576 SAR 2,163

103.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$339 SAR 1,275

140.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$893 SAR 3,353

141.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$556 SAR 2,087

119.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

$2,401 SAR 9,020

22.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

$1,380 SAR 5,182

40.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$2,517 SAR 9,453

-18.45%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $576 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Riyadh vs $40.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $171 per month, with Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Unaizah differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,101 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Unaizah. 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $576 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,719 per month in Riyadh versus $1,101 in Unaizah – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,719 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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 Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.