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 $1,172 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,801 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,070 in United States versus $2,430 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in United States is roughly 126% more expensive than in Saudi Arabia on average.

United States (99% above) and Saudi Arabia (12% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,341 to $5,153, compared to $923–$1,753 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.67 $19.67

$6.86 SAR 25.75

186.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$39.62 SAR 149

86.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$8.11 SAR 30.44

39.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$3.58 SAR 13.45

43.85%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.72 SAR 2.71

252.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.27 SAR 1.02

692.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.01 SAR 3.80

250.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.24 SAR 8.40

108.04%

Eggs

$4.20 $4.20

$2.49 SAR 9.35

68.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$7.25 SAR 27.24

75.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$8.21 SAR 30.83

51.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.15 $16.15

$13.03 SAR 48.91

23.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.18 SAR 8.20

136.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.65 SAR 6.21

4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.70 SAR 6.40

171.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.57 SAR 5.88

215.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.29 SAR 4.85

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.36 SAR 5.12

132.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.25 SAR 4.70

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.58 SAR 2.17

277.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.28 SAR 16.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$7.44 SAR 27.95

35.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.05 SAR 3.93

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.3 $65.3

$36.57 SAR 137

78.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.59 SAR 9.74

44.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.68 SAR 10.07

-34.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$13.06 SAR 49.02

128.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$0.63 SAR 2.38

52.38%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$25.0K SAR 94.0K

17.99%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

17.40%

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

$204 $204

$106 SAR 397

93.17%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$33.16 SAR 125

70.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$70.4 SAR 264

1.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.88 $45.88

$92.2 SAR 346

-50.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.70 $21.70

$41.69 SAR 157

-47.95%

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 $13.96

$15.82 SAR 59.4

-11.76%

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

$1,400 $1,400

$351 SAR 1,316

299.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$7,210 SAR 27.1K

218.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 $53.3

$51.5 SAR 194

3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 $42.28

$58.7 SAR 220

-27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$93.9 SAR 353

-2.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$84.8 SAR 318

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 $1,704

$489 SAR 1,837

248.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$407 SAR 1,528

257.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$891 SAR 3,344

229.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 $2,420

$635 SAR 2,384

281.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,366 $3,366

$2,304 SAR 8,650

46.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,596 $2,596

$1,339 SAR 5,028

93.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,392 $4,392

$1,882 SAR 7,065

133.40%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $420 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $2,575 in Washington, DC vs $1,092 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $4,499 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 289% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in United States.

Public transport is 60% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 130% 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 $1,338 per month in Saudi Arabia and $3,247 in United States, there's a 143% 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.