Cost of Living Comparison Between Unaizah and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Unaizah and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,719 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Unaizah versus $2,562 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,286 in Unaizah versus $3,405 in Riyadh.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 36% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Unaizah is 19% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$7.82 SAR 29.38

-15.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.80 SAR 149

$63.7 SAR 239

-37.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 SAR 26.23

$7.86 SAR 29.51

-11.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$2.09 SAR 7.86

-21.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.98 SAR 11.21

-54.03%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.99

$4.54 SAR 17.04

-12.11%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-10.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.30 SAR 1.12

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.54

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-11.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-74.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.28 SAR 8.58

-6.14%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$3.06 SAR 11.49

-21.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 SAR 22.23

$10.02 SAR 37.65

-40.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 SAR 17.26

$10.16 SAR 38.18

-54.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.81

$15.70 SAR 59.0

-18.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-20.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

$1.86 SAR 7.00

-15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-32.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-1.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-2.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.33 SAR 4.99

96.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-32.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.54 SAR 2.04

18.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.84 SAR 10.66

$7.89 SAR 29.63

-64.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-8.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$7.65 SAR 28.74

-14.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-1.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.06 SAR 135

$36.95 SAR 139

-2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 SAR 10.72

$3.18 SAR 11.96

-10.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 SAR 6.80

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-0.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$13.55 SAR 50.9

-0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

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

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

31.36%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-3.08%

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

$99.6 SAR 374

$100 SAR 376

-0.62%

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

$31.98 SAR 120

$33.25 SAR 125

-3.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 SAR 256

$69.1 SAR 260

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.8 SAR 202

$90.9 SAR 341

-40.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.87 SAR 139

$55.9 SAR 210

-34.08%

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 SAR 49.22

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-2.75%

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

$347 SAR 1,303

$537 SAR 2,016

-35.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

-37.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 SAR 190

$59.5 SAR 223

-14.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$53.5 SAR 201

10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 SAR 364

$110 SAR 415

-12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 SAR 335

$104 SAR 390

-14.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,163

$1,169 SAR 4,391

-50.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 SAR 1,275

$815 SAR 3,063

-58.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$893 SAR 3,353

$2,160 SAR 8,113

-58.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,087

$1,219 SAR 4,579

-54.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,401 SAR 9,020

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

-18.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 SAR 5,182

$1,934 SAR 7,265

-28.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,517 SAR 9,453

$2,052 SAR 7,709

22.62%

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 Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Unaizah and $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Unaizah vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $240 per month, with Unaizah 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

Unaizah vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Unaizah and Riyadh differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,101 vs $1,719 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Unaizah, 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: $576 in Unaizah versus $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,101 per month in Unaizah versus $1,719 in Riyadh – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,719 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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, Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.