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: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,147 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $1,731 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,315 in Unaizah.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 52% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 30% above, Unaizah is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.73 SAR 25.26

21.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$40.00 SAR 150

32.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.27 SAR 27.30

11.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.62 SAR 6.10

5.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.31 SAR 4.91

70.23%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.99 SAR 14.98

2.51%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.72 SAR 2.72

-1.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.26 SAR 0.97

11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.54 SAR 5.76

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$0.29 SAR 1.08

341.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.25 SAR 8.45

4.44%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.49 SAR 9.35

9.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.16 SAR 23.11

40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$4.79 SAR 17.97

109.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$12.75 SAR 47.86

14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.27 SAR 8.51

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.58 SAR 5.92

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.72 SAR 6.46

7.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-6.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.29 SAR 4.83

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-43.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.24 SAR 4.67

16.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.65 SAR 2.45

-18.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$3.01 SAR 11.29

171.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.70 SAR 6.38

0.59%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.08 SAR 7.80

14.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.92 SAR 25.96

8.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.05 SAR 3.95

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.58 SAR 152

-9.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.64 SAR 9.89

24.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

27.18%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

2.96%

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

$104 SAR 391

$105 SAR 393

-0.61%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$33.61 SAR 126

1.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$73.1 SAR 274

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$53.2 SAR 200

97.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$34.93 SAR 131

66.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.41 SAR 57.9

4.93%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$352 SAR 1,320

30.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$6,908 SAR 25.9K

40.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.4 SAR 223

0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$59.4 SAR 223

7.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$80.1 SAR 301

33.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$82.8 SAR 311

21.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$436 SAR 1,635

146.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$380 SAR 1,428

121.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$855 SAR 3,210

137.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$625 SAR 2,345

74.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,289 SAR 8,591

34.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,431 SAR 5,371

34.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

$2,582 SAR 9,692

-12.79%

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 Unaizah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $436 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 15% 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 $40.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $176 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,147 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Unaizah earns 15% 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 $436 in Unaizah. 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 $1,147 in Unaizah – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,147 in Unaizah versus $1,739 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 52% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.