Cost of Living Comparison Between Saudi Arabia and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Saudi Arabia and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,158 in Saudi Arabia versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,763 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,368 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,576 in China.

Living in Saudi Arabia is roughly 61% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saudi Arabia 16% lower, China 48% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saudi Arabia: monthly costs span $661 to $1,734, compared to $468–$1,236 in China. City choice carries more weight in Saudi Arabia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 SAR 25.44

$2.93 ¥19.60

131.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 SAR 150

$22.72 ¥152

75.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 SAR 29.17

$5.07 ¥33.95

53.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Cappuccino

$3.65 SAR 13.71

$2.94 ¥19.70

24.15%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.82

$0.48 ¥3.21

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.93

$0.30 ¥2.02

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.79 ¥11.99

-1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.70 ¥11.35

-35.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$0.96 ¥6.45

126.04%

Eggs

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$1.61 ¥10.79

62.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 SAR 28.35

$13.60 ¥91.1

-44.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.05 SAR 30.24

$3.41 ¥22.84

136.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$11.07 ¥74.2

21.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.81 ¥12.09

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$1.30 ¥8.74

35.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.48 ¥9.91

14.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.30 ¥8.72

29.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$0.72 ¥4.82

87.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.94 ¥6.31

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 SAR 4.55

$0.61 ¥4.08

98.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.56 ¥3.73

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SAR 27.26

$3.67 ¥24.58

97.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.29 ¥1.92

275.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.33 SAR 140

$22.61 ¥151

65.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.45 ¥9.72

88.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.95

$0.34 ¥2.31

679.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.20

$7.27 ¥48.72

80.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.23 ¥8.26

-51.22%

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

$66.1K SAR 248.2K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

238.20%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$17.2K ¥115.5K

23.80%

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

$97.4 SAR 366

$55.5 ¥371

75.59%

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

$31.85 SAR 120

$8.51 ¥57.0

274.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 SAR 257

$10.81 ¥72.4

532.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.3 SAR 320

$40.02 ¥268

113.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.65 SAR 153

$14.80 ¥99.1

174.66%

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 SAR 53.4

$6.73 ¥45.09

111.29%

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

$427 SAR 1,602

$454 ¥3,042

-6.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,940 SAR 33.6K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-54.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.81 SAR 172

$44.95 ¥301

1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 SAR 208

$35.81 ¥240

54.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 SAR 333

$76.8 ¥514

15.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 SAR 326

$77.3 ¥518

12.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,257

$385 ¥2,581

55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 SAR 1,708

$242 ¥1,623

87.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 SAR 3,632

$837 ¥5,603

15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 SAR 2,475

$474 ¥3,177

38.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,334 SAR 8,767

$4,619 ¥30.9K

-49.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,178

$2,316 ¥15.5K

-40.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,911 SAR 7,176

$1,062 ¥7,110

79.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.41

3.47

55.91%

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

Last update for Saudi Arabia: September 6, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $572 in Saudi Arabia, $295 in China. Capital cities: $1,174 in Riyadh vs $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,952 in Saudi Arabia, $865 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 94% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 94% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 126% higher in Saudi Arabia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saudi Arabia.

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

Saudi Arabia vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $852 per month in China and $1,198 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 41% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Saudi Arabia is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Saudi Arabia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Saudi Arabia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.