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: $1,177 in Saudi Arabia versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,426 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Saudi Arabia is roughly 65% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saudi Arabia 12% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Saudi Arabia: monthly costs span $896 to $1,776, compared to $535–$1,206 in China. City choice carries more weight in Saudi Arabia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 SAR 24.90

$2.86 ¥19.36

131.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 SAR 147

$23.29 ¥158

68.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.11

$4.83 ¥32.66

66.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

Cappuccino

$3.71 SAR 13.91

$3.04 ¥20.52

22.04%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.74

$0.45 ¥3.03

62.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.02

$0.27 ¥1.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.75 ¥11.86

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$1.67 ¥11.31

-41.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$0.97 ¥6.56

125.77%

Eggs

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$1.54 ¥10.45

68.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.70

$13.30 ¥89.9

-46.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.14

$3.21 ¥21.69

150.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 SAR 49.68

$10.79 ¥73.0

22.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$1.81 ¥12.27

22.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.31 ¥8.84

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.50 ¥10.15

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.14 ¥7.74

42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$0.73 ¥4.90

82.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$0.87 ¥5.86

49.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$0.57 ¥3.85

117.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.12

$0.54 ¥3.63

5.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.49 SAR 28.13

$3.53 ¥23.88

112.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.41 ¥2.75

153.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.69 SAR 141

$20.78 ¥141

81.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$1.36 ¥9.21

91.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$0.33 ¥2.21

721.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$6.86 ¥46.40

96.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.12 ¥7.57

-41.96%

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

$25.8K SAR 96.8K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

34.44%

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

$22.1K SAR 83.0K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

30.71%

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

$105 SAR 395

$51.8 ¥350

103.26%

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

$34.22 SAR 128

$9.85 ¥66.6

247.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$11.13 ¥75.3

544.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.7 SAR 348

$39.10 ¥264

136.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.55 SAR 156

$14.89 ¥101

179.05%

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 SAR 59.0

$6.25 ¥42.24

151.36%

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

$348 SAR 1,305

$404 ¥2,732

-13.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,206 SAR 27.0K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-59.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 197

$46.11 ¥312

13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 SAR 216

$32.27 ¥218

78.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 SAR 354

$72.7 ¥491

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 SAR 313

$72.9 ¥493

14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 SAR 1,827

$445 ¥3,009

9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,488

$255 ¥1,727

55.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$896 SAR 3,364

$927 ¥6,266

-3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$624 SAR 2,341

$532 ¥3,600

17.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,271 SAR 8,521

$4,943 ¥33.4K

-54.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,238 SAR 4,645

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-50.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,944 SAR 7,296

$1,057 ¥7,148

83.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.65

4.06

14.53%

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

Last update for Saudi Arabia: June 8, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $419 in Saudi Arabia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $1,083 in Riyadh vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,998 in Saudi Arabia, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 47% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 122% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 132% higher in Saudi Arabia, giving Saudi Arabia stronger purchasing power.

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 $871 per month in China and $1,336 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 53% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.