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: $1,758 in Riyadh versus $1,149 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,475 in Riyadh versus $1,748 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,192 in Riyadh versus $2,348 in Unaizah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 53% more expensive than in Unaizah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Unaizah is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.75 SAR 25.34

21.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$39.25 SAR 147

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.08 SAR 26.60

12.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.63 SAR 6.13

3.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.36 SAR 5.12

69.85%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$4.12 SAR 15.46

-3.40%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.74 SAR 2.77

4.05%

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

$1.53 SAR 5.73

10.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.31 SAR 1.17

329.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.33 SAR 8.76

1.29%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.53 SAR 9.51

6.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.14 SAR 23.07

38.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$4.73 SAR 17.77

109.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.73 SAR 47.82

13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.17 SAR 8.14

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.56 SAR 5.86

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.69 SAR 6.36

11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.55 SAR 5.83

2.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$2.72 SAR 10.23

-46.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.24 SAR 4.67

15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.69 SAR 2.59

-24.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.49 SAR 9.34

216.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.71 SAR 6.41

4.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.00 SAR 7.52

20.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.86 SAR 25.76

8.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.11 SAR 151

-8.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.69 SAR 10.12

19.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.85 SAR 6.96

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.18 SAR 49.51

0.08%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

31.38%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

4.57%

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

$106 SAR 398

$103 SAR 389

2.32%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.31 SAR 125

5.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$71.5 SAR 269

7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$53.0 SAR 199

100.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$36.03 SAR 135

66.28%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.89 SAR 59.7

2.08%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$357 SAR 1,340

30.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$7,036 SAR 26.4K

35.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$60.1 SAR 226

-2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$61.0 SAR 229

6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$77.8 SAR 292

41.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$81.6 SAR 306

23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$437 SAR 1,640

154.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$376 SAR 1,412

124.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$858 SAR 3,221

136.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$634 SAR 2,379

77.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,290 SAR 8,598

27.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,521 SAR 5,712

27.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

$2,569 SAR 9,646

-21.34%

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 Unaizah: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,110 in Riyadh and $437 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 27% 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 $39.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $175 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,758 vs $1,149 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 27% 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: $1,110 in Riyadh versus $437 in Unaizah. 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 $1,149 in Unaizah – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 9% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Unaizah versus $1,758 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 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.