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: $1,147 in Unaizah versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Unaizah versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,315 in Unaizah versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 34% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Unaizah is 14% below, Riyadh is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.26

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-18.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 SAR 150

$53.0 SAR 199

-24.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 SAR 27.30

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-10.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-5.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-41.26%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.98

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-2.44%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$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)

$1.54 SAR 5.76

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-77.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.45

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-4.26%

Eggs

$2.49 SAR 9.35

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 SAR 23.11

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-28.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.79 SAR 17.97

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-52.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 SAR 47.86

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.53 SAR 5.73

7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.29 SAR 4.82

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.47 SAR 5.50

78.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-14.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.53 SAR 1.99

22.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-63.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-0.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-12.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 SAR 25.96

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-3.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$36.73 SAR 138

10.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-19.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.85 SAR 6.95

2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.7K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-21.37%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-2.88%

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

$105 SAR 393

$104 SAR 391

0.61%

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

$33.61 SAR 126

$34.25 SAR 129

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 SAR 274

$77.0 SAR 289

-5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 SAR 200

$105 SAR 394

-49.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 SAR 131

$58.3 SAR 219

-40.08%

Cinema Ticket

$15.41 SAR 57.9

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-4.70%

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

$352 SAR 1,320

$457 SAR 1,716

-23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,908 SAR 25.9K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-29.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$59.5 SAR 223

-0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 SAR 223

$64.1 SAR 241

-7.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 SAR 301

$107 SAR 400

-24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 SAR 311

$100 SAR 376

-17.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 SAR 1,635

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-59.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$841 SAR 3,158

-54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 SAR 3,210

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$625 SAR 2,345

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-42.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,289 SAR 8,591

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-25.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,431 SAR 5,371

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-25.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,582 SAR 9,692

$2,252 SAR 8,452

14.67%

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 Unaizah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Unaizah and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 15% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $226 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,147 vs $1,739 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Unaizah pays 15% more on average, 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 Unaizah 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 $1,147 per month in Unaizah versus $1,739 in Riyadh – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 10% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,147 in Unaizah versus $1,739 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 52% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.