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: $986 in Yanbu versus $1,790 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,533 in Yanbu versus $2,519 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,081 in Yanbu versus $3,249 in Riyadh.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 45% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 26% below, Riyadh is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 SAR 25.25

$8.11 SAR 30.41

-17.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.95 SAR 142

$52.9 SAR 198

-28.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.59 SAR 24.70

$8.08 SAR 30.32

-18.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

$1.72 SAR 6.44

15.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$2.23 SAR 8.35

-26.91%

Cappuccino

$3.68 SAR 13.78

$4.13 SAR 15.48

-10.90%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$0.72 SAR 2.72

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.62 SAR 6.06

6.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-28.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.32 SAR 8.71

-3.45%

Eggs

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$2.69 SAR 10.07

0.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.87 SAR 22.03

$8.41 SAR 31.54

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.63 SAR 28.62

$10.11 SAR 37.93

-24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 SAR 44.75

$14.67 SAR 55.0

-18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.22 SAR 8.34

-2.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.42

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-18.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.72

$1.58 SAR 5.94

-3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.24 SAR 4.67

1.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-30.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.99

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.55 SAR 2.08

-7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$8.15 SAR 30.58

-83.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.81 SAR 6.78

-24.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 SAR 23.48

$7.52 SAR 28.22

-16.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$1.05 SAR 3.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.80 SAR 123

$37.48 SAR 141

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SAR 11.82

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-3.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.84 SAR 6.92

-54.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.32 SAR 57.4

$13.10 SAR 49.13

16.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.32

$0.59 SAR 2.20

5.08%

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

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

$35.1K SAR 131.5K

-26.94%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

$23.8K SAR 89.1K

-9.54%

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

$108 SAR 403

$104 SAR 390

3.40%

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

$22.12 SAR 82.9

$34.30 SAR 129

-35.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$76.4 SAR 287

-7.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.9 SAR 364

$106 SAR 397

-8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$59.8 SAR 224

-40.80%

Cinema Ticket

$13.13 SAR 49.25

$15.74 SAR 59.0

-16.58%

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

$322 SAR 1,209

$448 SAR 1,681

-28.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

$9,716 SAR 36.4K

-60.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.59 SAR 84.7

$60.2 SAR 226

-62.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.69 SAR 81.4

$65.1 SAR 244

-66.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 SAR 250

$107 SAR 402

-37.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.14 SAR 177

$99.7 SAR 374

-52.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 SAR 1,153

$1,103 SAR 4,135

-72.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 SAR 907

$841 SAR 3,155

-71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 SAR 2,277

$2,086 SAR 7,821

-70.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,517

$1,098 SAR 4,117

-63.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 SAR 10.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 SAR 7,301

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

$2,436 SAR 9,136

41.97%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $307 in Yanbu and $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 42% 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 $188 vs $224 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 82% in total monthly costs ($986 vs $1,790 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Yanbu pays 42% 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: $307 in Yanbu versus $1,103 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $986 per month in Yanbu versus $1,790 in Riyadh – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 14% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $986 in Yanbu versus $1,790 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 82% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.