Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Taif and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,136 in Taif versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Taif versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,067 in Taif versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Taif costs roughly 35% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 17% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.57 SAR 17.14

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-40.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.49 SAR 137

$64.3 SAR 241

-43.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 SAR 25.72

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-18.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.81 SAR 6.79

4.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-45.77%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$4.38 SAR 16.44

-31.96%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.86 SAR 3.23

-26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-32.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-81.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-5.79%

Eggs

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-24.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.97

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-24.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 SAR 23.84

$9.80 SAR 36.81

-35.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 SAR 40.01

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-29.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-15.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-4.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-24.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.72 SAR 6.44

5.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$1.11 SAR 4.16

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.39 SAR 5.21

23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 SAR 3.04

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-52.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 SAR 3.55

$0.59 SAR 2.22

61.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-66.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-2.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-42.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.39

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.04

$1.05 SAR 3.94

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.44 SAR 137

$37.11 SAR 139

-1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-59.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.84 SAR 6.89

48.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$13.30 SAR 49.94

1.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.20

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

$45.4K SAR 170.3K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

28.08%

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

$18.8K SAR 70.4K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-15.95%

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

$110 SAR 413

$95.6 SAR 359

15.12%

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

$27.31 SAR 103

$31.83 SAR 120

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 SAR 328

$70.0 SAR 263

24.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 SAR 444

$91.6 SAR 344

29.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.41 SAR 114

$54.8 SAR 206

-44.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.29 SAR 64.9

$13.76 SAR 51.7

25.65%

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

$239 SAR 896

$539 SAR 2,023

-55.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,380 SAR 16.4K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-60.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.72 SAR 77.8

$59.9 SAR 225

-65.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$58.4 SAR 219

1.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 SAR 365

$111 SAR 415

-12.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.27 SAR 174

$104 SAR 391

-55.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,205 SAR 4,525

$1,189 SAR 4,464

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$851 SAR 3,195

-59.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$870 SAR 3,268

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-60.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 SAR 1,222

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-74.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,389 SAR 8,970

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

-18.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 SAR 5,135

$1,891 SAR 7,100

-27.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,768 SAR 6,638

$2,104 SAR 7,902

-15.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

5.54

-35.02%

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

Last update for Taif: August 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,205 in Taif and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 19% 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: $36.00 in Taif vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $238 per month, with Taif 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

Taif vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taif and Riyadh differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,136 vs $1,736 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $1,205 in Taif versus $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,136 per month in Taif versus $1,736 in Riyadh – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Taif runs roughly 2% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Taif versus $1,736 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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, Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.