Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Saudi Arabia Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Saudi Arabia

Name: Saudi Arabia
Address: SA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,626 in United States versus $1,158 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,830 in United States versus $1,763 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,033 in United States versus $2,368 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in United States is roughly 127% more expensive than in Saudi Arabia on average.

United States (90% above) and Saudi Arabia (16% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $986 to $5,298, compared to $661–$1,734 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.83 $19.83

$6.77 SAR 25.44

192.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$39.89 SAR 150

97.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$7.77 SAR 29.17

56.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$3.65 SAR 13.71

53.15%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$0.75 SAR 2.82

270.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.25 SAR 0.93

772.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 $8.02

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-39.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.09 SAR 4.10

237.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.17 SAR 8.14

114.75%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$2.61 SAR 9.79

60.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 $12.78

$7.55 SAR 28.35

69.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.05 SAR 30.24

54.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$13.44 SAR 50.5

25.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.24 SAR 8.41

133.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.76 SAR 6.60

-5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.69 SAR 6.35

156.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.68 SAR 6.32

195.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.35 SAR 5.07

108.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.34 SAR 5.02

132.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.21 SAR 4.55

80.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.58 SAR 2.18

289.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$7.26 SAR 27.26

42.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.09 SAR 4.09

118.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 $64.5

$37.33 SAR 140

72.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.73 SAR 10.24

29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-29.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.34 $30.34

$13.10 SAR 49.20

131.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$0.60 SAR 2.25

66.67%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$66.1K SAR 248.2K

-46.23%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

21.14%

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

$222 $222

$97.4 SAR 366

128.17%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$31.85 SAR 120

91.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$68.4 SAR 257

9.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.49 $44.49

$85.3 SAR 320

-47.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.35 $22.35

$40.65 SAR 153

-45.02%

Cinema Ticket

$15.03 $15.03

$14.22 SAR 53.4

5.70%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$427 SAR 1,602

235.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$8,940 SAR 33.6K

189.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 $53.6

$45.81 SAR 172

16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.46 $43.46

$55.4 SAR 208

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$88.7 SAR 333

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$86.9 SAR 326

30.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$601 SAR 2,257

171.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$455 SAR 1,708

192.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,606 $2,606

$967 SAR 3,632

169.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,206 $2,206

$659 SAR 2,475

234.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,323 $3,323

$2,334 SAR 8,767

42.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$1,379 SAR 5,178

92.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$1,911 SAR 7,176

125.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

5.41

14.79%

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

Last update for United States: September 7, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,604 in United States, $572 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $1,360 in Columbia, TN vs $1,174 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $4,526 in United States, $1,952 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 180% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 88% more in United States.

Public transport is 22% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 132% higher in United States.

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

United States vs Saudi Arabia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $1,198 per month in Saudi Arabia and $3,142 in United States, there's a 162% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Saudi Arabia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in Saudi Arabia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Saudi Arabia, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Saudi Arabia wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.