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 $1,177 in Saudi Arabia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,856 in United States versus $1,802 in Saudi Arabia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,069 in United States versus $2,426 in Saudi Arabia.

Living in United States is roughly 125% 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 $1,346 to $5,196, compared to $896–$1,776 in Saudi Arabia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.12 $20.12

$6.63 SAR 24.90

203.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$39.25 SAR 147

88.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$8.02 SAR 30.11

44.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$3.71 SAR 13.91

37.20%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$0.73 SAR 2.74

253.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.27 SAR 1.02

696.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-37.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.97 SAR 3.65

285.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.19 SAR 8.23

106.85%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$2.59 SAR 9.72

71.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$7.11 SAR 26.70

82.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.25 $12.25

$8.03 SAR 30.14

52.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.17 $16.17

$13.24 SAR 49.68

22.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$2.21 SAR 8.30

140.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.60 SAR 6.02

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.61 SAR 6.05

175.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.62 SAR 6.10

210.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.33 SAR 5.00

124.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.30 SAR 4.88

133.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.24 SAR 4.65

82.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.57 SAR 2.12

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$7.49 SAR 28.13

35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.04 SAR 3.91

133.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 $64.7

$37.69 SAR 141

71.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.60 SAR 9.74

47.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-34.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 $30.45

$13.51 SAR 50.7

125.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.65 SAR 2.43

35.38%

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

$30.3K $30.3K

$25.8K SAR 96.8K

17.38%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$22.1K SAR 83.0K

16.90%

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

$205 $205

$105 SAR 395

94.71%

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

$57.6 $57.6

$34.22 SAR 128

68.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$71.7 SAR 269

0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.53 $45.53

$92.7 SAR 348

-50.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.32 $22.32

$41.55 SAR 156

-46.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.82 $13.82

$15.71 SAR 59.0

-12.03%

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

$1,374 $1,374

$348 SAR 1,305

295.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$7,206 SAR 27.0K

219.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$52.4 SAR 197

-2.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 $43.35

$57.5 SAR 216

-24.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$94.3 SAR 354

-3.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$83.5 SAR 313

37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 $1,761

$487 SAR 1,827

261.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,428 $1,428

$397 SAR 1,488

260.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,843 $2,843

$896 SAR 3,364

217.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$624 SAR 2,341

281.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,299 $3,299

$2,271 SAR 8,521

45.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,587 $2,587

$1,238 SAR 4,645

109.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,234 $4,234

$1,944 SAR 7,296

117.79%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saudi Arabia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $419 in Saudi Arabia. Capital cities: $1,583 in Washington, MI vs $1,083 in Riyadh.

National salary averages: $4,496 in United States, $1,998 in Saudi Arabia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 290% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 83% more in United States.

Public transport is 60% more expensive in Saudi Arabia.

Salaries are 125% 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 $1,336 per month in Saudi Arabia and $3,271 in United States, there's a 145% 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.