Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Yanbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Yanbu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,790 in Riyadh versus $986 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,519 in Riyadh versus $1,533 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Riyadh versus $2,081 in Yanbu.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 82% more expensive than Yanbu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 34% above, Yanbu is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.11 SAR 30.41

$6.73 SAR 25.25

20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 SAR 198

$37.95 SAR 142

39.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 SAR 30.32

$6.59 SAR 24.70

22.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.99 SAR 7.45

-13.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.35

$1.63 SAR 6.10

36.81%

Cappuccino

$4.13 SAR 15.48

$3.68 SAR 13.78

12.23%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.76 SAR 2.84

-5.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.23 SAR 0.86

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.06

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.92 SAR 3.44

39.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.71

$2.24 SAR 8.42

3.57%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.07

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-0.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.41 SAR 31.54

$5.87 SAR 22.03

43.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 SAR 37.93

$7.63 SAR 28.62

32.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.67 SAR 55.0

$11.93 SAR 44.75

22.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$2.17 SAR 8.13

2.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.65 SAR 6.18

1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.45 SAR 5.42

23.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.53 SAR 5.72

3.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.26 SAR 4.71

-1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.01 SAR 3.78

44.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.06 SAR 3.99

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.51 SAR 1.92

7.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.15 SAR 30.58

$1.32 SAR 4.95

517.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$1.36 SAR 5.11

33.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

$1.70 SAR 6.37

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$6.26 SAR 23.48

20.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.05 SAR 3.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.48 SAR 141

$32.80 SAR 123

14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$3.15 SAR 11.82

4.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$0.84 SAR 3.14

119.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.13

$15.32 SAR 57.4

-14.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.62 SAR 2.32

-4.84%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

36.88%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

10.55%

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

$104 SAR 390

$108 SAR 403

-3.29%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$22.12 SAR 82.9

55.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 SAR 287

$70.5 SAR 264

8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$96.9 SAR 364

9.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.8 SAR 224

$35.37 SAR 133

68.93%

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 SAR 59.0

$13.13 SAR 49.25

19.88%

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

$448 SAR 1,681

$322 SAR 1,209

39.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

152.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$22.59 SAR 84.7

166.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$21.69 SAR 81.4

200.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 402

$66.6 SAR 250

60.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 SAR 374

$47.14 SAR 177

111.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 SAR 4,135

$307 SAR 1,153

258.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,155

$242 SAR 907

247.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 SAR 7,821

$607 SAR 2,277

243.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 SAR 4,117

$405 SAR 1,517

171.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 SAR 7,301

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,436 SAR 9,136

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

-29.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

3.3

60.91%

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

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Riyadh and $307 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 42% 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 $38.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $188 per month, with Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riyadh and Yanbu differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,790 vs $986 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yanbu earns 42% 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: $1,103 in Riyadh versus $307 in Yanbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,790 per month in Riyadh versus $986 in Yanbu – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 14% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $986 in Yanbu versus $1,790 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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 Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.