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: $1,173 in Sakakah versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,762 in Sakakah versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,351 in Sakakah versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Sakakah costs roughly 32% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sakakah is 15% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.96 SAR 22.38

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-22.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 SAR 139

$64.3 SAR 241

-42.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.39

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-6.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.78

$1.81 SAR 6.79

14.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-44.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 SAR 13.23

$4.38 SAR 16.44

-19.63%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.55

$0.86 SAR 3.23

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.19

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-21.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-7.44%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 SAR 28.22

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-21.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.63

$9.80 SAR 36.81

-19.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 SAR 48.97

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-10.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.11 SAR 4.16

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.51

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.59 SAR 2.22

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.40

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-65.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-2.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-14.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.42

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 SAR 3.88

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-1.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.52 SAR 137

$37.11 SAR 139

-1.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 SAR 11.22

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$1.84 SAR 6.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$13.30 SAR 49.94

-0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.35

$0.59 SAR 2.20

5.08%

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

$45.0K SAR 168.8K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

26.98%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.4K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-5.23%

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

$102 SAR 384

$95.6 SAR 359

7.06%

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

$32.61 SAR 122

$31.83 SAR 120

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 SAR 248

$70.0 SAR 263

-5.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.9 SAR 311

$91.6 SAR 344

-9.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.86 SAR 138

$54.8 SAR 206

-32.75%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$13.76 SAR 51.7

-1.96%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$539 SAR 2,023

-35.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,508 SAR 24.4K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-41.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.93 SAR 187

$59.9 SAR 225

-16.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 SAR 223

$58.4 SAR 219

1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 SAR 368

$111 SAR 415

-11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 SAR 332

$104 SAR 391

-15.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,144

$1,189 SAR 4,464

-51.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 SAR 1,267

$851 SAR 3,195

-60.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,230

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-60.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,081

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-56.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,316 SAR 8,698

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

-21.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 SAR 5,175

$1,891 SAR 7,100

-27.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$937 SAR 3,517

$2,104 SAR 7,902

-55.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Sakakah: August 29, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Sakakah and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 125% 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: $37.00 in Sakakah vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $238 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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,173 vs $1,736 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 125% lower in Riyadh. 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: $571 in Sakakah versus $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,173 per month in Sakakah versus $1,736 in Riyadh – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 2% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,173 in Sakakah versus $1,736 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 48% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.