Cost of Living Comparison Between Umluj and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Umluj and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Umluj versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,463 in Umluj versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Umluj costs roughly 31% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Umluj is 9% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.75

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 SAR 167

$53.9 SAR 202

-17.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.33

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-2.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.69 SAR 6.33

4.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-23.38%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.03

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-6.03%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-2.54%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-8.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.24

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-20.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-26.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 SAR 48.71

$14.50 SAR 54.5

-10.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-5.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.59 SAR 5.96

1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$1.25 SAR 4.68

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-12.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.52 SAR 1.94

7.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.38

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-64.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-4.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$2.41 SAR 9.07

-13.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 SAR 25.81

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-7.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.08 SAR 4.07

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 SAR 148

$36.88 SAR 138

7.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.84 SAR 6.93

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.24 SAR 49.71

$13.19 SAR 49.54

0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$26.6K SAR 100.1K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-24.06%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-4.07%

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

$107 SAR 401

$106 SAR 398

0.77%

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

$33.75 SAR 127

$35.14 SAR 132

-3.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$76.9 SAR 289

-6.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.3 SAR 328

$106 SAR 399

-17.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 SAR 133

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.74%

Cinema Ticket

$15.76 SAR 59.2

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-2.84%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$465 SAR 1,747

-23.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-26.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$58.3 SAR 219

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 226

$65.1 SAR 244

-7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 SAR 302

$110 SAR 413

-26.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$101 SAR 378

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 SAR 1,638

$1,110 SAR 4,167

-60.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$843 SAR 3,164

-55.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,156

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-58.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SAR 2,332

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-44.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,132 SAR 8,006

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-26.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,715

$1,938 SAR 7,280

-21.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,245 SAR 15.9K

$2,020 SAR 7,588

110.11%

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 Umluj: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Umluj and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 110% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Umluj vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $225 per month, with Umluj 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

Umluj vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umluj and Riyadh differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $1,758 including rent). Umluj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 110% higher in Umluj, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $436 in Umluj 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 $1,218 per month in Umluj versus $1,758 in Riyadh – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umluj but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Umluj 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, Umluj 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 Umluj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.