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: $1,178 in Saudi Arabia versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,800 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Saudi Arabia versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Saudi Arabia is roughly 66% more expensive than China on average.

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

Saudi Arabia ($918–$1,790) and China ($525–$1,220) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.60 SAR 24.76

$2.75 ¥18.83

140.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.41 SAR 152

$24.03 ¥165

68.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.08

$4.96 ¥33.95

61.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

Cappuccino

$3.65 SAR 13.67

$3.12 ¥21.37

16.99%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.48 ¥3.26

52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.27 ¥1.84

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.83 ¥12.53

-8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.68 ¥11.54

-38.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$0.91 ¥6.21

136.26%

Eggs

$2.57 SAR 9.63

$1.56 ¥10.66

64.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.68

$12.97 ¥88.9

-43.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 30.97

$3.25 ¥22.23

154.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 SAR 48.04

$10.51 ¥72.0

21.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.81 ¥12.41

18.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.30 ¥8.90

24.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.50 ¥10.26

14.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.15 ¥7.87

38.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.77

$0.76 ¥5.20

67.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$0.89 ¥6.07

46.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.51

$0.58 ¥3.97

106.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$0.58 ¥3.95

6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.36 SAR 27.61

$3.50 ¥23.95

110.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.44 ¥3.01

138.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.94 SAR 139

$21.15 ¥145

74.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

$1.36 ¥9.35

97.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.95

$0.36 ¥2.44

636.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$6.61 ¥45.28

104.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.13 ¥7.74

-47.79%

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

$25.1K SAR 94.0K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

26.99%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.5K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

28.77%

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

$105 SAR 394

$50.9 ¥349

106.32%

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

$33.52 SAR 126

$10.03 ¥68.7

234.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 SAR 273

$11.33 ¥77.6

541.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 357

$40.13 ¥275

137.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.38 SAR 155

$14.97 ¥103

176.42%

Cinema Ticket

$16.21 SAR 60.8

$6.09 ¥41.74

166.17%

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

$352 SAR 1,322

$418 ¥2,860

-15.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,166 SAR 26.9K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-58.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 SAR 194

$46.40 ¥318

11.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 222

$32.92 ¥226

80.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 SAR 352

$71.1 ¥487

31.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$72.9 ¥499

12.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 SAR 1,783

$438 ¥3,003

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 SAR 1,527

$259 ¥1,775

57.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 SAR 3,320

$926 ¥6,341

-4.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,379

$548 ¥3,754

15.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,303 SAR 8,636

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-54.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 SAR 4,793

$2,666 ¥18.3K

-52.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,034 SAR 7,626

$1,074 ¥7,357

89.35%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $418 in Saudi Arabia, $286 in China. Capital cities: $1,103 in Riyadh vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $2,012 in Saudi Arabia, $834 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 141% 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 $873 per month in China and $1,354 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 55% 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.