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: $1,172 in Saudi Arabia versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,801 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,430 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,549 in China.

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

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

Saudi Arabia ($923–$1,753) and China ($533–$1,212) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$2.77 ¥18.72

147.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$24.05 ¥162

64.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.44

$4.73 ¥31.93

71.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.45

$3.08 ¥20.78

16.23%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.71

$0.44 ¥3.00

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.02

$0.29 ¥1.98

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.80

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ¥14.03

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.83 ¥12.39

-8.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.62 ¥10.94

-37.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$0.97 ¥6.58

130.93%

Eggs

$2.49 SAR 9.35

$1.61 ¥10.90

54.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.24

$13.34 ¥90.1

-45.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 SAR 30.83

$3.37 ¥22.75

143.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 SAR 48.91

$10.68 ¥72.2

22.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$1.81 ¥12.26

20.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.25 ¥8.44

32.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.46 ¥9.88

16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.15 ¥7.73

36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$0.73 ¥4.92

76.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.89 ¥5.99

52.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$0.60 ¥4.05

108.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.17

$0.53 ¥3.59

9.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.28 SAR 16.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.95

$3.39 ¥22.93

119.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.73 ¥79.3

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.41 ¥2.77

156.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.57 SAR 137

$21.24 ¥143

72.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.35 ¥9.13

91.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

$0.36 ¥2.40

644.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 49.02

$6.70 ¥45.26

94.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.18 ¥7.98

-46.61%

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

$25.0K SAR 94.0K

$19.8K ¥133.4K

26.70%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$16.5K ¥111.7K

35.07%

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

$106 SAR 397

$51.7 ¥349

104.27%

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

$33.16 SAR 125

$10.09 ¥68.2

228.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$11.38 ¥76.9

518.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 SAR 346

$39.24 ¥265

134.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.69 SAR 157

$14.84 ¥100

180.93%

Cinema Ticket

$15.82 SAR 59.4

$6.30 ¥42.56

151.11%

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

$351 SAR 1,316

$414 ¥2,795

-15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,210 SAR 27.1K

$17.4K ¥117.6K

-58.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 SAR 194

$46.77 ¥316

10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.7 SAR 220

$33.08 ¥223

77.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.9 SAR 353

$70.9 ¥479

32.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 SAR 318

$74.5 ¥503

13.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 SAR 1,837

$440 ¥2,972

11.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 SAR 1,528

$253 ¥1,707

61.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 SAR 3,344

$911 ¥6,153

-2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,384

$531 ¥3,584

19.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,304 SAR 8,650

$4,778 ¥32.3K

-51.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,339 SAR 5,028

$2,403 ¥16.2K

-44.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,882 SAR 7,065

$1,058 ¥7,144

77.92%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $420 in Saudi Arabia, $287 in China. Capital cities: $1,092 in Riyadh vs $909 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $1,952 in Saudi Arabia, $857 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 46% higher in Saudi Arabia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Saudi Arabia.

Public transport is 122% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 128% 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 $873 per month in China and $1,338 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.

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.