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: $994 in Yanbu versus $1,753 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,525 in Yanbu versus $2,529 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Yanbu versus $3,305 in Riyadh.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 43% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 25% below, Riyadh is 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$7.79 SAR 29.26

-16.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.99 SAR 143

$52.6 SAR 198

-27.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$8.16 SAR 30.64

-20.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

$1.78 SAR 6.68

14.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.20 SAR 8.26

-28.18%

Cappuccino

$3.59 SAR 13.49

$3.99 SAR 14.97

-10.03%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-2.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.61 SAR 6.05

3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$1.32 SAR 4.96

-34.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-5.49%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$2.63 SAR 9.88

3.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 SAR 22.68

$8.19 SAR 30.75

-26.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$9.89 SAR 37.14

-21.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 SAR 45.86

$14.47 SAR 54.3

-15.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.23 SAR 8.36

-7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.60 SAR 5.99

-3.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-1.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.51 SAR 5.67

-36.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.38 SAR 5.19

-21.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.56 SAR 2.10

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-83.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-26.40%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$2.31 SAR 8.66

-26.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$7.37 SAR 27.68

-12.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.24 SAR 125

$36.91 SAR 139

-9.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$3.25 SAR 12.22

0.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$1.91 SAR 7.16

-59.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 SAR 56.7

$13.41 SAR 50.4

12.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-1.59%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$35.2K SAR 132.3K

-25.72%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

$23.1K SAR 86.8K

-6.70%

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

$105 SAR 396

$103 SAR 387

2.35%

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

$22.77 SAR 85.5

$34.99 SAR 131

-34.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 259

$75.5 SAR 284

-8.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 SAR 360

$108 SAR 404

-10.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 SAR 133

$59.7 SAR 224

-40.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 SAR 49.95

$16.23 SAR 60.9

-18.05%

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

$323 SAR 1,214

$457 SAR 1,714

-29.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

$9,423 SAR 35.4K

-59.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.81 SAR 85.6

$59.6 SAR 224

-61.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SAR 78.9

$63.5 SAR 238

-66.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$108 SAR 407

-38.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.66 SAR 179

$99.0 SAR 372

-51.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 SAR 1,177

$1,092 SAR 4,102

-71.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 915

$833 SAR 3,128

-70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 SAR 2,198

$2,008 SAR 7,540

-70.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,546

$1,130 SAR 4,243

-63.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 SAR 11.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 SAR 7,379

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

$2,099 SAR 7,883

66.09%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Yanbu and $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 66% 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 $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $222 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 76% in total monthly costs ($994 vs $1,753 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Yanbu, 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: $314 in Yanbu versus $1,092 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $994 per month in Yanbu versus $1,753 in Riyadh – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 11% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $994 in Yanbu versus $1,753 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 76% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.