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: $1,753 in Riyadh versus $994 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,529 in Riyadh versus $1,525 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Riyadh versus $2,056 in Yanbu.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 76% more expensive than in Yanbu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Yanbu is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.26

$6.51 SAR 24.44

19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 198

$37.99 SAR 143

38.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$6.51 SAR 24.46

25.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-12.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$1.58 SAR 5.94

39.24%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$3.59 SAR 13.49

11.14%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.75 SAR 2.83

2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.23 SAR 0.86

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-3.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$0.87 SAR 3.28

51.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$2.24 SAR 8.42

5.80%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-3.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.75

$6.04 SAR 22.68

35.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.89 SAR 37.14

$7.76 SAR 29.14

27.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 SAR 54.3

$12.21 SAR 45.86

18.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$2.07 SAR 7.77

7.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.64 SAR 6.17

2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.38 SAR 5.19

29.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.99

$1.54 SAR 5.80

3.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.28 SAR 4.79

1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$0.96 SAR 3.59

57.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.09 SAR 4.11

26.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.56 SAR 2.09

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.05 SAR 30.22

$1.29 SAR 4.85

524.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.31 SAR 4.92

35.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

$1.69 SAR 6.36

36.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.37 SAR 27.68

$6.47 SAR 24.30

13.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.05 SAR 3.93

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.91 SAR 139

$33.24 SAR 125

11.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.22

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$0.78 SAR 2.94

144.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.4

$15.10 SAR 56.7

-11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.62 SAR 2.31

1.61%

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

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

34.62%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

7.18%

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

$103 SAR 387

$105 SAR 396

-2.29%

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

$34.99 SAR 131

$22.77 SAR 85.5

53.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$69.1 SAR 259

9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$95.9 SAR 360

12.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.7 SAR 224

$35.52 SAR 133

67.99%

Cinema Ticket

$16.23 SAR 60.9

$13.30 SAR 49.95

22.03%

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

$457 SAR 1,714

$323 SAR 1,214

41.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

148.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$22.81 SAR 85.6

161.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 238

$21.00 SAR 78.9

202.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 407

$66.3 SAR 249

63.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 372

$47.66 SAR 179

107.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,092 SAR 4,102

$314 SAR 1,177

248.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$833 SAR 3,128

$244 SAR 915

241.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,008 SAR 7,540

$585 SAR 2,198

243.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 SAR 4,243

$412 SAR 1,546

174.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,379

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,099 SAR 7,883

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

-39.79%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,092 in Riyadh and $314 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 66% 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 $222 vs $189 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 76% in total monthly costs ($1,753 vs $994 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Yanbu. 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: $1,092 in Riyadh versus $314 in Yanbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,753 per month in Riyadh versus $994 in Yanbu – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 11% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $994 in Yanbu versus $1,753 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 76% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.