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: $916 in Taif versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,470 in Taif versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,023 in Taif versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Taif costs roughly 48% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 31% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.54 SAR 152

$53.9 SAR 202

-24.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 SAR 25.53

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-14.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.69 SAR 6.33

15.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-31.60%

Cappuccino

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-26.13%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$0.77 SAR 2.88

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-78.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-2.97%

Eggs

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-4.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.28

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-14.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-37.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 SAR 39.86

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$1.88 SAR 7.06

5.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.59 SAR 5.96

15.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$1.25 SAR 4.68

15.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.46 SAR 5.49

10.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 SAR 3.48

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-34.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$0.52 SAR 1.94

98.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-63.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.79 SAR 6.70

7.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-32.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.26

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-9.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.08 SAR 4.07

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 149

$36.88 SAR 138

7.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-18.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$1.84 SAR 6.93

9.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 49.03

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.1K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-43.03%

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

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-12.29%

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

$75.3 SAR 283

$106 SAR 398

-28.91%

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

$28.59 SAR 107

$35.14 SAR 132

-18.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SAR 323

$76.9 SAR 289

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 SAR 288

$106 SAR 399

-27.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.83 SAR 142

$59.9 SAR 225

-36.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SAR 64.4

$16.22 SAR 60.9

5.80%

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

$263 SAR 986

$465 SAR 1,747

-43.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-41.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 SAR 149

$58.3 SAR 219

-31.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SAR 158

$65.1 SAR 244

-35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$110 SAR 413

-29.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.39 SAR 178

$101 SAR 378

-52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 SAR 808

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-80.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 SAR 644

$843 SAR 3,164

-79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,642

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-78.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-69.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 SAR 8,755

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-19.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 SAR 5,076

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-30.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,814 SAR 6,812

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-10.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

5.31

-13.37%

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

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Taif and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 11% 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: $41.00 in Taif vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $225 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 92% in total monthly costs ($916 vs $1,758 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% 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: $215 in Taif 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 $916 per month in Taif versus $1,758 in Riyadh – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $916 in Taif versus $1,758 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 92% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.