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: $1,776 in Riyadh versus $1,000 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,477 in Riyadh versus $1,512 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,177 in Riyadh versus $2,023 in Yanbu.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 78% more expensive than Yanbu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Riyadh is 32% above, Yanbu is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.59 SAR 24.73

22.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$37.96 SAR 142

38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 SAR 30.29

$6.49 SAR 24.34

24.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$2.01 SAR 7.56

-15.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 SAR 8.43

$1.59 SAR 5.95

41.51%

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.04

$3.74 SAR 14.05

7.22%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.70 SAR 2.62

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.23 SAR 0.86

26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$0.87 SAR 3.28

49.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.10

$2.20 SAR 8.24

10.45%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.96

$2.64 SAR 9.90

0.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 SAR 32.27

$5.85 SAR 21.96

47.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.53

$7.92 SAR 29.72

26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.60 SAR 54.8

$12.20 SAR 45.78

19.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.16 SAR 8.11

8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.56 SAR 5.87

9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.46 SAR 5.46

23.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.54 SAR 5.80

0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.26 SAR 4.71

-1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$0.97 SAR 3.62

50.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.10 SAR 4.12

32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.55 SAR 2.08

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.76 SAR 29.11

$1.30 SAR 4.87

496.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.55

$1.32 SAR 4.94

32.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.65

$1.76 SAR 6.61

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.74

$6.24 SAR 23.41

14.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.08 SAR 4.05

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.03 SAR 143

$33.86 SAR 127

12.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 SAR 12.16

$3.26 SAR 12.23

-0.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$0.78 SAR 2.92

134.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-11.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.57 SAR 2.14

10.53%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

35.53%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

5.07%

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

$103 SAR 385

$106 SAR 398

-3.26%

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

$34.54 SAR 130

$22.79 SAR 85.5

51.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$68.7 SAR 258

9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 395

$97.5 SAR 366

8.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.2 SAR 218

$35.04 SAR 132

66.10%

Cinema Ticket

$15.79 SAR 59.3

$13.12 SAR 49.23

20.35%

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

$459 SAR 1,723

$315 SAR 1,181

45.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

149.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$23.07 SAR 86.6

160.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.2 SAR 241

$20.91 SAR 78.5

207.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$66.3 SAR 249

60.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$48.58 SAR 182

106.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 SAR 4,063

$316 SAR 1,185

242.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 SAR 3,185

$244 SAR 914

248.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 SAR 7,654

$606 SAR 2,274

236.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 SAR 4,227

$410 SAR 1,539

174.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,263 SAR 8,490

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

-35.94%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,083 in Riyadh and $316 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Riyadh vs $38.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,776 vs $1,000 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yanbu earns 56% 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: $1,083 in Riyadh versus $316 in Yanbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,776 per month in Riyadh versus $1,000 in Yanbu – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 12% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,000 in Yanbu versus $1,776 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 78% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.