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: $1,191 in Sakakah versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,635 in Sakakah versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Sakakah versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Sakakah is 11% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 SAR 22.10

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.60 SAR 167

$53.9 SAR 202

-17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.12

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-2.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$1.69 SAR 6.33

24.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-29.87%

Cappuccino

$3.66 SAR 13.75

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-8.04%

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

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-15.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.31 SAR 1.17

9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-26.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.65

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.48 SAR 9.33

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-7.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 SAR 26.56

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 SAR 28.60

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-23.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 SAR 48.15

$14.50 SAR 54.5

-11.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.24

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-5.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-9.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.60

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-2.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-13.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.52 SAR 1.94

3.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-68.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-5.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.61

$2.41 SAR 9.07

-15.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 27.00

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.73 SAR 153

$36.88 SAR 138

10.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-16.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.08

$1.84 SAR 6.93

2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 SAR 49.94

$13.19 SAR 49.54

0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.5K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-22.95%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.7K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-3.80%

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

$107 SAR 401

$106 SAR 398

0.86%

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

$34.33 SAR 129

$35.14 SAR 132

-2.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 SAR 274

$76.9 SAR 289

-5.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 SAR 224

$106 SAR 399

-44.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.80 SAR 134

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 SAR 58.9

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-3.33%

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

$356 SAR 1,336

$465 SAR 1,747

-23.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,006 SAR 26.3K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-26.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

-0.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$65.1 SAR 244

-7.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.0 SAR 293

$110 SAR 413

-29.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$101 SAR 378

-18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 SAR 844

$1,110 SAR 4,167

-79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,404

$843 SAR 3,164

-55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,304

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-82.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 SAR 1,161

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-72.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 SAR 7,671

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-29.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,506 SAR 5,654

$1,938 SAR 7,280

-22.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$923 SAR 3,468

$2,020 SAR 7,588

-54.30%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Sakakah and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 119% 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 $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $225 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 ($1,191 vs $1,758 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 119% 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: $225 in Sakakah versus $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,191 per month in Sakakah versus $1,758 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 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,191 in Sakakah versus $1,758 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.