Cost of Living Comparison Between Yanbu and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Yanbu and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Yanbu versus $1,776 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,512 in Yanbu versus $2,477 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,023 in Yanbu versus $3,177 in Riyadh.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 44% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 26% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.73

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.96 SAR 142

$52.5 SAR 197

-27.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 SAR 24.34

$8.07 SAR 30.29

-19.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

$1.70 SAR 6.40

18.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$2.25 SAR 8.43

-29.33%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.05

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-6.73%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.70 SAR 2.64

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.29 SAR 1.08

-20.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.63 SAR 6.12

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-33.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.24

$2.43 SAR 9.10

-9.47%

Eggs

$2.64 SAR 9.90

$2.66 SAR 9.96

-0.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.85 SAR 21.96

$8.60 SAR 32.27

-31.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$10.00 SAR 37.53

-20.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.20 SAR 45.78

$14.60 SAR 54.8

-16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-8.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-8.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.46

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-18.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.55 SAR 5.81

-0.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.24 SAR 4.64

1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 SAR 3.62

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-33.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$7.76 SAR 29.11

-83.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-24.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$2.31 SAR 8.65

-23.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 SAR 23.41

$7.13 SAR 26.74

-12.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.86 SAR 127

$38.03 SAR 143

-10.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.23

$3.24 SAR 12.16

0.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 SAR 57.6

$13.56 SAR 50.9

13.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-9.52%

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

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-26.21%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-4.83%

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

$106 SAR 398

$103 SAR 385

3.37%

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

$22.79 SAR 85.5

$34.54 SAR 130

-34.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 SAR 258

$75.3 SAR 283

-8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.5 SAR 366

$105 SAR 395

-7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.04 SAR 132

$58.2 SAR 218

-39.79%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.23

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-16.91%

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

$315 SAR 1,181

$459 SAR 1,723

-31.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

$9,401 SAR 35.3K

-59.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.07 SAR 86.6

$60.2 SAR 226

-61.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.91 SAR 78.5

$64.2 SAR 241

-67.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$106 SAR 399

-37.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.58 SAR 182

$100 SAR 376

-51.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 SAR 1,185

$1,083 SAR 4,063

-70.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 914

$849 SAR 3,185

-71.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 SAR 2,274

$2,040 SAR 7,654

-70.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 SAR 1,539

$1,126 SAR 4,227

-63.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,124 SAR 11.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,362

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

$2,263 SAR 8,490

56.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

5.31

-37.85%

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

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $316 in Yanbu and $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Yanbu vs $52.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $225 per month, with Yanbu 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

Yanbu vs Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yanbu and Riyadh differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,000 vs $1,776 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yanbu pays 56% more on average, 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: $316 in Yanbu versus $1,083 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,000 per month in Yanbu versus $1,776 in Riyadh – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 12% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,000 in Yanbu versus $1,776 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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, Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.