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: $922 in Taif versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Taif versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Taif versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Taif costs roughly 47% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 31% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.69

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-36.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 SAR 151

$53.0 SAR 199

-24.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-17.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$1.71 SAR 6.41

20.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-29.15%

Cappuccino

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-28.61%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.70

$0.71 SAR 2.66

1.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-10.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-18.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-79.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.35 SAR 8.83

0.43%

Eggs

$2.56 SAR 9.61

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-6.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.70

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-14.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.49

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 SAR 40.25

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-26.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-2.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-9.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.85 SAR 6.93

9.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.53 SAR 5.73

25.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.29 SAR 4.82

13.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.47 SAR 5.50

6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-41.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.53 SAR 1.99

83.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-64.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$1.71 SAR 6.42

12.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-31.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$36.73 SAR 138

9.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-17.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.85 SAR 6.95

10.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.45

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-42.20%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-14.67%

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

$73.2 SAR 275

$104 SAR 391

-29.73%

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

$28.41 SAR 107

$34.25 SAR 129

-17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 SAR 332

$77.0 SAR 289

14.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 SAR 285

$105 SAR 394

-27.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.04 SAR 139

$58.3 SAR 219

-36.46%

Cinema Ticket

$17.58 SAR 66.0

$16.17 SAR 60.7

8.72%

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

$264 SAR 991

$457 SAR 1,716

-42.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-43.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 SAR 146

$59.5 SAR 223

-34.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 SAR 158

$64.1 SAR 241

-34.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$107 SAR 400

-25.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.88 SAR 176

$100 SAR 376

-53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 SAR 804

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-80.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 SAR 649

$841 SAR 3,158

-79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,626

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-78.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-68.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 SAR 7,993

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-30.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 SAR 4,685

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-35.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,031 SAR 7,622

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-9.82%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Taif and $1,072 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: $40.00 in Taif vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $226 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 89% in total monthly costs ($922 vs $1,739 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Riyadh earns 11% 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: $214 in Taif 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 $922 per month in Taif versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $922 in Taif versus $1,739 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 89% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.