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: $2,643 in United States versus $1,178 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,800 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,071 in United States versus $2,422 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in United States is roughly 124% more expensive than Saudi Arabia on average.

United States (97% above) and Saudi Arabia (12% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,320 to $5,119, compared to $918–$1,790 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$6.60 SAR 24.76

206.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$40.41 SAR 152

83.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 $11.29

$8.02 SAR 30.08

40.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

Cappuccino

$5.12 $5.12

$3.65 SAR 13.67

40.27%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.73 SAR 2.73

247.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.25 SAR 0.94

748.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-38.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.03 SAR 3.86

262.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.15 SAR 8.06

109.77%

Eggs

$4.30 $4.30

$2.57 SAR 9.63

67.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.16 $13.16

$7.38 SAR 27.68

78.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$8.26 SAR 30.97

50.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.19 $16.19

$12.81 SAR 48.04

26.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$2.15 SAR 8.07

147.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.62 SAR 6.09

6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.71 SAR 6.41

166.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.59 SAR 5.96

206.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.27 SAR 4.77

125.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.30 SAR 4.89

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.20 SAR 4.51

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.62 SAR 2.31

264.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.36 SAR 27.61

36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.05 SAR 3.95

144.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.0 $66.0

$36.94 SAR 139

78.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.68 SAR 10.06

39.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.65 SAR 9.95

-35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.03 $30.03

$13.54 SAR 50.8

121.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.59 SAR 2.22

57.63%

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

$30.2K $30.2K

$25.1K SAR 94.0K

20.64%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$22.0K SAR 82.5K

18.03%

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

$206 $206

$105 SAR 394

96.52%

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

$57.1 $57.1

$33.52 SAR 126

70.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$72.7 SAR 273

0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.50 $46.50

$95.3 SAR 357

-51.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.07 $22.07

$41.38 SAR 155

-46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$16.21 SAR 60.8

-12.77%

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

$1,371 $1,371

$352 SAR 1,322

289.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.8K $22.8K

$7,166 SAR 26.9K

217.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$51.7 SAR 194

-0.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.27 $42.27

$59.3 SAR 222

-28.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$93.8 SAR 352

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$82.1 SAR 308

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 $1,740

$476 SAR 1,783

265.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$407 SAR 1,527

246.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,912 $2,912

$885 SAR 3,320

228.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,377 $2,377

$634 SAR 2,379

274.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,412 $3,412

$2,303 SAR 8,636

48.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,669 $2,669

$1,278 SAR 4,793

108.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,242 $4,242

$2,034 SAR 7,626

108.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.65

40.00%

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

Last update for United States: April 28, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $418 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $2,512 in Washington, DC vs $1,103 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $4,494 in United States, $2,012 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 291% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in United States.

Public transport is 60% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 123% 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 $1,354 per month in Saudi Arabia and $3,220 in United States, there's a 138% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Saudi Arabia is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.