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: $1,719 in Riyadh versus $1,038 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,562 in Riyadh versus $1,626 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,405 in Riyadh versus $2,214 in Yanbu.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 66% more expensive than in Yanbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 26% above, Yanbu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.82 SAR 29.38

$6.51 SAR 24.47

20.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 SAR 239

$37.19 SAR 140

71.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.51

$6.85 SAR 25.73

14.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.63 SAR 6.12

28.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 SAR 11.21

$1.59 SAR 5.96

87.42%

Cappuccino

$4.54 SAR 17.04

$3.57 SAR 13.40

27.17%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

$0.79 SAR 2.97

5.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.12

$0.20 SAR 0.77

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$0.88 SAR 3.32

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.58

$2.16 SAR 8.10

5.56%

Eggs

$3.06 SAR 11.49

$2.39 SAR 8.97

28.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.65

$6.34 SAR 23.82

58.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.18

$8.25 SAR 30.98

23.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.70 SAR 59.0

$13.30 SAR 49.97

18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.09 SAR 7.86

29.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 7.00

$1.72 SAR 6.45

8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$1.51 SAR 5.67

50.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.67 SAR 6.29

1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.17 SAR 4.38

3.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.09 SAR 4.11

22.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.04 SAR 3.92

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.53 SAR 2.00

1.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$1.36 SAR 5.12

480.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.36 SAR 5.10

36.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.11 SAR 7.93

22.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.65 SAR 28.74

$6.72 SAR 25.24

13.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.92

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.95 SAR 139

$26.14 SAR 98.2

41.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 SAR 11.96

$3.21 SAR 12.07

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$0.78 SAR 2.93

133.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$13.61 SAR 51.1

-0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.62 SAR 2.33

3.23%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

-23.99%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

3.60%

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

$100 SAR 376

$102 SAR 384

-1.92%

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

$33.25 SAR 125

$22.45 SAR 84.3

48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 260

$67.4 SAR 253

2.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$95.1 SAR 357

-4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$55.9 SAR 210

$26.16 SAR 98.2

113.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$11.96 SAR 44.91

12.63%

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

$537 SAR 2,016

$266 SAR 998

102.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

180.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$67.1 SAR 252

-11.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 SAR 201

$60.9 SAR 229

-12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 415

$97.9 SAR 368

12.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 390

$97.9 SAR 368

6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 SAR 4,391

$313 SAR 1,176

273.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 SAR 3,063

$210 SAR 790

287.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 SAR 8,113

$595 SAR 2,234

263.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 SAR 4,579

$425 SAR 1,597

186.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,709

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

-40.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.39

2.78%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,169 in Riyadh and $313 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 69% 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 $37.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $196 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,719 vs $1,038 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 69% 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: $1,169 in Riyadh versus $313 in Yanbu. 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 $1,038 in Yanbu – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 41% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,038 in Yanbu versus $1,719 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 66% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.