Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabuk and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabuk and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,311 in Tabuk versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,991 in Tabuk versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Tabuk versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Tabuk costs roughly 25% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tabuk is 2% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.51 SAR 31.96

$8.19 SAR 30.76

3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 SAR 104

$53.9 SAR 202

-48.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 SAR 27.66

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-7.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-7.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-20.35%

Cappuccino

$3.05 SAR 11.45

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-23.37%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-16.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.69 SAR 6.34

13.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-57.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$2.36 SAR 8.85

14.83%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-2.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 SAR 47.09

$8.48 SAR 31.84

47.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.75

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-33.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 SAR 49.14

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.74

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.59 SAR 5.96

33.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.25 SAR 4.68

36.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.84

$1.46 SAR 5.49

43.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.43 SAR 5.38

35.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$0.52 SAR 1.94

19.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-63.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-5.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-13.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.63 SAR 28.65

$7.41 SAR 27.83

2.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.43 SAR 148

$36.88 SAR 138

6.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-16.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$13.19 SAR 49.53

2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.64 SAR 2.39

1.56%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.4K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-23.80%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.3K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-4.30%

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

$161 SAR 604

$106 SAR 398

51.86%

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

$37.11 SAR 139

$35.14 SAR 132

5.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 391

$76.9 SAR 289

35.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.5 SAR 332

$106 SAR 399

-16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.85 SAR 135

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.16%

Cinema Ticket

$25.80 SAR 96.9

$16.22 SAR 60.9

59.06%

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

$352 SAR 1,321

$465 SAR 1,747

-24.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,390 SAR 31.5K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-12.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$58.3 SAR 219

0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$65.1 SAR 244

-9.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 295

$110 SAR 413

-28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 SAR 309

$101 SAR 378

-18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,263

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-69.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,375

$843 SAR 3,164

-56.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 SAR 3,049

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-59.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$737 SAR 2,769

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-34.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,566 SAR 9,637

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-11.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,533 SAR 5,756

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-20.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,762 SAR 6,617

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-12.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Tabuk: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Tabuk and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tabuk vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $225 per month, with Tabuk cheaper across the board.

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

Tabuk vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabuk and Riyadh differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,311 vs $1,758 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% lower in Riyadh. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $336 in Tabuk versus $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,311 per month in Tabuk versus $1,758 in Riyadh – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 7% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,311 in Tabuk versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tabuk but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Tabuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tabuk and Riyadh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.