Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saudi Arabia and the United States

Name: United States
Address: US

For one person, living is cheaper in Saudi Arabia: $1,284 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $17,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Saudi Arabia
Learn more

Saudi Arabia Living Index
131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
Learn more

United States Living Index

Jump to prices

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,284

/mo nomad

🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saudi Arabia and in the United States

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saudi Arabia and in the United States actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,284 in Saudi Arabia versus $2,734 in the United States.

Saudi Arabia $1,284
United States $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,916 in Saudi Arabia versus $3,985 in the United States.

Saudi Arabia $1,916
United States $3,985

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,549 in Saudi Arabia versus $5,235 in the United States.

Saudi Arabia $2,549
United States $5,235

Internal cost variation is higher in the United States: monthly costs span $979 to $5,160, compared to $674–$1,738 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in the United States.

Living in Saudi Arabia costs about 53% less than in the United States on average.

Saudi Arabia (6% below) and the United States (101% above) straddle the global median.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.28

$20.03 $20.03

-66.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.36 SAR 151

$80.0 $80.0

-49.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.14 SAR 30.53

$11.80 $11.80

-31.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.19

$5.55 $5.55

-31.89%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$2.66 $2.66

-71.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.02

$2.17 $2.17

-87.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.04 $1.04

63.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 SAR 4.17

$3.59 $3.59

-69.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$4.52 $4.52

-51.11%

Eggs

$2.67 SAR 10.02

$4.28 $4.28

-37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 SAR 28.80

$13.22 $13.22

-41.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.86 SAR 29.49

$12.60 $12.60

-37.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 SAR 50.4

$17.60 $17.60

-23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$5.30 $5.30

-59.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.69 $1.69

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

$4.44 $4.44

-61.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$4.77 $4.77

-64.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.97 $2.97

-55.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$3.15 $3.15

-57.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$2.20 $2.20

-42.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$2.35 $2.35

-73.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.25

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 SAR 27.45

$10.98 $10.98

-33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.94 $1.94

-43.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.07 SAR 143

$59.4 $59.4

-35.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 SAR 10.27

$3.58 $3.58

-23.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$1.88 $1.88

43.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$29.84 $29.84

-54.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.02 $1.02

-41.18%

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

$30.4K SAR 114.2K

$28.8K $28.8K

5.87%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

$26.2K $26.2K

-18.10%

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

$97.9 SAR 367

$218 $218

-55.10%

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

$31.85 SAR 120

$62.5 $62.5

-49.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 SAR 252

$74.5 $74.5

-9.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.8 SAR 300

$41.86 $41.86

90.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.07 SAR 147

$22.81 $22.81

71.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.92 SAR 52.2

$14.70 $14.70

-5.31%

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

$458 SAR 1,718

$1,489 $1,489

-69.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,896 SAR 33.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

-64.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.43 SAR 182

$54.3 $54.3

-10.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 SAR 213

$42.71 $42.71

32.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 SAR 336

$94.1 $94.1

-4.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 SAR 324

$114 $114

-24.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,405

$1,659 $1,659

-61.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 SAR 1,727

$1,348 $1,348

-65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 SAR 3,782

$2,682 $2,682

-62.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 SAR 2,623

$2,169 $2,169

-67.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 SAR 7,553

$3,283 $3,283

-38.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 SAR 4,697

$2,482 $2,482

-49.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,864 SAR 6,994

$4,296 $4,296

-56.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

6.55

-17.56%

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

Last update for Saudi Arabia: October 26, 2026

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Saudi Arabia

$460 35.8%

United States

$1.3K 49.3% 193% $887

Groceries & Markets

Saudi Arabia

$206 16.1%

United States

$415 15.2% 101% $209

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saudi Arabia

$197 15.3%

United States

$355 13% 80.3% $158

Eating Out

Saudi Arabia

$128 10%

United States

$328 12% 157% $200

Clothing & Footwear

Saudi Arabia

$126 9.9%

United States

$137 5% 8.4% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Saudi Arabia

$108 8.4%

United States

$71 2.6% 33.8% $36

Getting Around

Saudi Arabia

$59 4.6%

United States

$80 2.9% 36.5% $21

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $556 in Saudi Arabia, $1,620 in the United States. Capital cities: $1,149 in Riyadh vs $2,768 in Washington, DC.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Saudi Arabia, $4,549 in the United States. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 191% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 88% more in the United States.

Public transport is 66% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 2.3 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

🇺🇸 United States

🕒 Local time

22:45 10:45 PM

15:45 3:45 PM

7 h behind Saudi Arabia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

33,000,000

340,110,988

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saudi Arabia United States 11,740 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Saudi Arabia
United States

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,284 per month in Saudi Arabia and $2,734 in the United States, Saudi Arabia comes out about 53% cheaper. 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 cheaper in Saudi Arabia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 in the United States and $556 in Saudi Arabia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In Saudi Arabia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in the United States 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: Saudi Arabia wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.