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: $1,149 in Unaizah versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,748 in Unaizah versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,348 in Unaizah versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Unaizah costs roughly 35% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Unaizah is 14% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-17.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.25 SAR 147

$53.9 SAR 202

-27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 SAR 26.60

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-11.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-3.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-41.13%

Cappuccino

$4.12 SAR 15.46

$3.98 SAR 14.94

3.52%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-9.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-76.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-5.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.14 SAR 23.07

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-27.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 SAR 17.77

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-52.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$14.50 SAR 54.5

-12.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 SAR 10.23

$1.46 SAR 5.49

86.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 SAR 2.59

$0.52 SAR 1.94

32.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.49 SAR 9.34

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-68.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-4.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$2.41 SAR 9.07

-17.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 SAR 25.76

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.08 SAR 4.07

0.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.11 SAR 151

$36.88 SAR 138

8.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.69 SAR 10.12

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-16.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$1.84 SAR 6.93

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.51

$13.19 SAR 49.54

-0.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$26.7K SAR 100.3K

$35.1K SAR 131.8K

-23.89%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-4.37%

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

$103 SAR 389

$106 SAR 398

-2.27%

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

$33.31 SAR 125

$35.14 SAR 132

-5.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 SAR 269

$76.9 SAR 289

-7.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 SAR 199

$106 SAR 399

-50.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.03 SAR 135

$59.9 SAR 225

-39.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.89 SAR 59.7

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-2.03%

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

$357 SAR 1,340

$465 SAR 1,747

-23.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,036 SAR 26.4K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-26.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 SAR 226

$58.3 SAR 219

2.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$65.1 SAR 244

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 SAR 292

$110 SAR 413

-29.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 SAR 306

$101 SAR 378

-18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,640

$1,110 SAR 4,167

-60.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,412

$843 SAR 3,164

-55.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 SAR 3,221

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-57.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 SAR 2,379

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-43.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,290 SAR 8,599

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-21.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,521 SAR 5,713

$1,938 SAR 7,280

-21.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,569 SAR 9,647

$2,020 SAR 7,588

27.13%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Unaizah and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 27% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Unaizah vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $225 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,149 vs $1,758 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $437 in Unaizah 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 $1,149 per month in Unaizah versus $1,758 in Riyadh – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,149 in Unaizah versus $1,758 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 53% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.