Cost of Living Comparison Between Sakakah and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Sakakah and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,165 in Sakakah versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,656 in Sakakah versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,147 in Sakakah versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Sakakah costs roughly 33% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sakakah is 13% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 SAR 21.39

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-30.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.82 SAR 168

$53.0 SAR 199

-15.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SAR 29.56

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-2.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.71 SAR 6.41

25.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-27.35%

Cappuccino

$3.65 SAR 13.70

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-10.76%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.71 SAR 2.66

-1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-23.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.96

$2.35 SAR 8.83

1.70%

Eggs

$2.50 SAR 9.39

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-8.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 SAR 25.43

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-21.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 SAR 27.27

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-27.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 SAR 49.71

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-8.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-9.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.53 SAR 5.73

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-1.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-17.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.53 SAR 1.99

11.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.16

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-63.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-1.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.65

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.89 SAR 25.88

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-8.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.09 SAR 4.09

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.76 SAR 149

$36.73 SAR 138

8.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-20.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.36 SAR 50.1

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-0.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-7.94%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-21.46%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-6.36%

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

$105 SAR 392

$104 SAR 391

0.31%

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

$33.71 SAR 127

$34.25 SAR 129

-1.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 SAR 273

$77.0 SAR 289

-5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 SAR 226

$105 SAR 394

-42.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.30 SAR 132

$58.3 SAR 219

-39.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.38 SAR 57.7

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-4.89%

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

$357 SAR 1,339

$457 SAR 1,716

-21.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 SAR 26.4K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-27.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 SAR 227

$59.5 SAR 223

1.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$64.1 SAR 241

-4.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 SAR 293

$107 SAR 400

-26.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 SAR 303

$100 SAR 376

-19.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 SAR 846

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-78.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$841 SAR 3,158

-54.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,291

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-83.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 SAR 1,131

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-72.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,070 SAR 7,767

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-32.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 SAR 5,559

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-23.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$918 SAR 3,446

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-59.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Sakakah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Sakakah and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 145% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Sakakah vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $226 per month, with Sakakah 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

Sakakah vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakakah and Riyadh differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,165 vs $1,739 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Riyadh earns 145% 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: $225 in Sakakah versus $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,165 per month in Sakakah versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 8% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,165 in Sakakah versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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, Sakakah and Riyadh 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.