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: $1,149 in Umluj versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,757 in Umluj versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,366 in Umluj versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Umluj costs roughly 34% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Umluj is 16% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 SAR 25.38

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.01 SAR 139

$64.3 SAR 241

-42.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-6.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.81 SAR 6.79

-8.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$4.38 SAR 16.44

-22.83%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$0.86 SAR 3.23

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.34 SAR 1.28

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-1.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.85

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.01

$2.42 SAR 9.07

-11.98%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-28.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 SAR 27.07

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-24.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 SAR 29.95

$9.80 SAR 36.81

-18.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.07

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-14.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-11.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-33.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-7.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.11 SAR 4.16

6.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.39 SAR 5.21

-2.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-65.71%

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)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-15.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-6.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$1.05 SAR 3.94

3.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.68 SAR 134

$37.11 SAR 139

-3.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-10.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-2.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$13.30 SAR 49.94

0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.59 SAR 2.20

10.17%

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

$44.9K SAR 168.7K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

26.89%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.6K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-5.02%

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

$101 SAR 379

$95.6 SAR 359

5.63%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$31.83 SAR 120

3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 SAR 247

$70.0 SAR 263

-5.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 SAR 316

$91.6 SAR 344

-7.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.17 SAR 140

$54.8 SAR 206

-32.18%

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$13.76 SAR 51.7

-1.67%

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

$344 SAR 1,292

$539 SAR 2,023

-36.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,722 SAR 25.2K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-39.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 SAR 193

$59.9 SAR 225

-14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

0.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 SAR 364

$111 SAR 415

-12.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 SAR 334

$104 SAR 391

-14.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 SAR 2,179

$1,189 SAR 4,464

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 SAR 1,281

$851 SAR 3,195

-59.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,244

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-60.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 SAR 2,062

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-56.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 SAR 8,781

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

-20.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,371 SAR 5,148

$1,891 SAR 7,100

-27.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,284 SAR 16.1K

$2,104 SAR 7,902

103.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Umluj: August 31, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Umluj and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Umluj vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $238 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,149 vs $1,736 including rent). Umluj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 104% 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: $580 in Umluj 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 $1,149 per month in Umluj versus $1,736 in Riyadh – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj runs roughly 4% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,149 in Umluj versus $1,736 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 51% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.