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: $1,348 in Tabuk versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tabuk versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,685 in Tabuk versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Tabuk costs roughly 22% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Tabuk 1% above, Riyadh 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.75 SAR 32.84

$8.21 SAR 30.82

6.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.64 SAR 104

$53.0 SAR 199

-47.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-11.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-7.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-14.35%

Cappuccino

$3.10 SAR 11.64

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-24.21%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.83

$0.71 SAR 2.66

7.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.68 SAR 6.30

8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-59.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.35 SAR 8.83

16.17%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.11

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.19 SAR 45.75

$8.64 SAR 32.44

41.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.06

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 SAR 48.61

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-15.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.74

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-12.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.72

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-3.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.53 SAR 5.73

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.29 SAR 4.82

32.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$1.47 SAR 5.50

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.45 SAR 5.44

37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.13

$0.53 SAR 1.99

7.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-64.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.71 SAR 6.42

3.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 SAR 28.14

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-2.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.99 SAR 150

$36.73 SAR 138

8.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-17.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.85 SAR 6.95

3.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.20 SAR 49.53

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-2.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-3.17%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-22.51%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-3.26%

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

$160 SAR 602

$104 SAR 391

53.88%

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

$36.95 SAR 139

$34.25 SAR 129

7.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 SAR 399

$77.0 SAR 289

38.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.2 SAR 331

$105 SAR 394

-15.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.71 SAR 134

$58.3 SAR 219

-38.74%

Cinema Ticket

$25.73 SAR 96.6

$16.17 SAR 60.7

59.12%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$457 SAR 1,716

-22.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,448 SAR 31.7K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-13.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

-0.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$64.1 SAR 241

-4.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 SAR 299

$107 SAR 400

-25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 SAR 310

$100 SAR 376

-17.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,291

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-67.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 SAR 1,374

$841 SAR 3,158

-56.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 SAR 3,085

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-59.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 SAR 2,743

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-32.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,677 SAR 10.0K

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-12.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 SAR 5,728

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-20.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,707 SAR 6,406

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-24.21%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Tabuk and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 32% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $226 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,348 vs $1,739 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Riyadh earns 32% less. 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: $344 in Tabuk versus $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,348 per month in Tabuk versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 9% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,348 in Tabuk versus $1,739 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 29% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.