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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Saudi Arabia versus $2,018 in Germany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,800 in Saudi Arabia versus $3,052 in Germany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Saudi Arabia versus $4,086 in Germany.

Living in Saudi Arabia costs about 42% less than in Germany on average.

Saudi Arabia (12% below) and Germany (51% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Germany: monthly costs span $1,336 to $2,796, compared to $918โ€“$1,790 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in Germany.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.60 SARย 24.76
$17.42 โ‚ฌ14.87
-62.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.41 SARย 152
$76.3 โ‚ฌ65.2
-47.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.02 SARย 30.08
$11.45 โ‚ฌ9.78
-29.96%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 SARย 6.92
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 SARย 7.16
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.65 SARย 13.67
$4.15 โ‚ฌ3.54
-12.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 SARย 2.73
$3.38 โ‚ฌ2.89
-78.40%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.25 SARย 0.94
$2.90 โ‚ฌ2.48
-91.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.19 โ‚ฌ4.43
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.76 โ‚ฌ4.06
-
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 SARย 6.25
$1.27 โ‚ฌ1.08
31.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 SARย 3.86
$2.18 โ‚ฌ1.86
-52.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 SARย 8.06
$3.31 โ‚ฌ2.82
-35.05%
Eggs
$2.57 SARย 9.63
$3.78 โ‚ฌ3.23
-32.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.38 SARย 27.68
$14.85 โ‚ฌ12.68
-50.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.26 SARย 30.97
$14.02 โ‚ฌ11.97
-41.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 SARย 48.04
$20.27 โ‚ฌ17.31
-36.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 SARย 8.07
$3.19 โ‚ฌ2.72
-32.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 SARย 6.09
$1.89 โ‚ฌ1.61
-14.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 SARย 6.41
$2.25 โ‚ฌ1.92
-24.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.59 SARย 5.96
$4.81 โ‚ฌ4.11
-66.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 SARย 4.77
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.31
-16.99%
Onion (1kg)
$1.30 SARย 4.89
$1.56 โ‚ฌ1.33
-16.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 SARย 4.51
$1.93 โ‚ฌ1.65
-37.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 SARย 2.31
$1.10 โ‚ฌ0.94
-43.64%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$4.08 SARย 15.31
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75 SARย 6.58
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 SARย 8.10
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.36 SARย 27.61
$9.85 โ‚ฌ8.42
-25.28%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$6.42 โ‚ฌ5.48
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.10 โ‚ฌ0.94
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.63 โ‚ฌ1.39
-
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.05 SARย 3.95
$3.63 โ‚ฌ3.10
-71.07%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.94 SARย 139
$66.1 โ‚ฌ56.5
-44.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 SARย 10.06
$5.64 โ‚ฌ4.82
-52.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.65 SARย 9.95
$2.25 โ‚ฌ1.93
17.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.54 SARย 50.8
$38.47 โ‚ฌ32.85
-64.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.59 SARย 2.22
$2.02 โ‚ฌ1.72
-70.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K SARย 94.0K
$31.9K โ‚ฌ27.3K
-21.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K SARย 82.5K
$37.6K โ‚ฌ32.1K
-41.44%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 SARย 394
$348 โ‚ฌ297
-69.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.52 SARย 126
$27.62 โ‚ฌ23.59
21.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.7 SARย 273
$52.5 โ‚ฌ44.83
38.45%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.3 SARย 357
$40.10 โ‚ฌ34.24
137.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.38 SARย 155
$24.94 โ‚ฌ21.30
65.92%
Cinema Ticket
$16.21 SARย 60.8
$13.67 โ‚ฌ11.68
18.58%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$352 SARย 1,322
$478 โ‚ฌ408
-26.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,166 SARย 26.9K
$14.8K โ‚ฌ12.6K
-51.57%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 SARย 194
$93.6 โ‚ฌ79.9
-44.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 SARย 222
$44.16 โ‚ฌ37.71
34.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.8 SARย 352
$103 โ‚ฌ87.9
-8.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$82.1 SARย 308
$134 โ‚ฌ114
-38.63%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 SARย 1,783
$1,024 โ‚ฌ874
-53.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$407 SARย 1,527
$791 โ‚ฌ675
-48.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$885 SARย 3,320
$1,917 โ‚ฌ1,637
-53.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$634 SARย 2,379
$1,448 โ‚ฌ1,236
-56.18%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,303 SARย 8,636
$6,372 โ‚ฌ5,441
-63.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,278 SARย 4,793
$4,229 โ‚ฌ3,611
-69.78%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Saudi Arabia
Germany
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,034 SARย 7,626
$3,467 โ‚ฌ2,961
-41.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.65
3.98
16.83%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Saudi Arabia: April 25, 2026

Last update for Germany: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $418 in Saudi Arabia, $846 in Germany. Capital cities: $1,103 in Riyadh vs $1,390 in Berlin.

National salary averages: $2,012 in Saudi Arabia, $3,255 in Germany. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money โ€“ weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 102% higher in Germany.

Dining out costs 80% more in Germany.

Public transport is 55% more expensive in Germany.

Salaries are 62% higher in Germany.

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 Germany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Germany or Saudi Arabia?
At $2,066 per month in Germany and $1,354 in Saudi Arabia, there's a 53% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city โ€“ the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Germany or Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia 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.
How do rents compare between Germany and Saudi Arabia?
Rent in Germany beats Saudi Arabia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Germany vs Saudi Arabia?
In Saudi Arabia, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Germany, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital โ€“ you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Germany and Saudi Arabia?
It depends on what you're after. Saudi Arabia wins on affordability; Germany may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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