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: $1,038 in Yanbu versus $1,719 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Yanbu versus $2,562 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Yanbu versus $3,405 in Riyadh.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 40% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 24% below, Riyadh is 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.47

$7.82 SAR 29.38

-16.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.19 SAR 140

$63.7 SAR 239

-41.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 SAR 25.73

$7.86 SAR 29.51

-12.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$2.09 SAR 7.86

-22.01%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.98 SAR 11.21

-46.64%

Cappuccino

$3.57 SAR 13.40

$4.54 SAR 17.04

-21.37%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.97

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-4.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.77

$0.30 SAR 1.12

-33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.67 SAR 6.26

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SAR 3.32

$1.20 SAR 4.49

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.28 SAR 8.58

-5.26%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$3.06 SAR 11.49

-21.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 SAR 23.82

$10.02 SAR 37.65

-36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 SAR 30.98

$10.16 SAR 38.18

-18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 SAR 49.97

$15.70 SAR 59.0

-15.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-22.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.86 SAR 7.00

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-33.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.29

$1.70 SAR 6.37

-1.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.38

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-3.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.33 SAR 4.99

-18.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 2.00

$0.54 SAR 2.04

-1.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$7.89 SAR 29.63

-82.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-26.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-18.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.72 SAR 25.24

$7.65 SAR 28.74

-12.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 SAR 98.2

$36.95 SAR 139

-29.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 SAR 12.07

$3.18 SAR 11.96

0.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$1.82 SAR 6.83

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.61 SAR 51.1

$13.55 SAR 50.9

0.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-3.13%

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

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

$35.3K SAR 132.5K

31.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-3.47%

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

$102 SAR 384

$100 SAR 376

1.96%

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

$22.45 SAR 84.3

$33.25 SAR 125

-32.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 SAR 253

$69.1 SAR 260

-2.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.1 SAR 357

$90.9 SAR 341

4.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.16 SAR 98.2

$55.9 SAR 210

-53.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 SAR 44.91

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-11.21%

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

$266 SAR 998

$537 SAR 2,016

-50.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

$10.8K SAR 40.5K

-64.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.1 SAR 252

$59.5 SAR 223

12.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$53.5 SAR 201

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 368

$110 SAR 415

-11.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 SAR 368

$104 SAR 390

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 SAR 1,176

$1,169 SAR 4,391

-73.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 SAR 790

$815 SAR 3,063

-74.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 SAR 2,234

$2,160 SAR 8,113

-72.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,597

$1,219 SAR 4,579

-65.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,930 SAR 11.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,934 SAR 7,265

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

$2,052 SAR 7,709

69.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.54

-2.71%

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

Last update for Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Yanbu and $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Yanbu vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $240 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 66% in total monthly costs ($1,038 vs $1,719 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% 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: $313 in Yanbu versus $1,169 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,038 per month in Yanbu versus $1,719 in Riyadh – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 41% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,038 in Yanbu versus $1,719 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 66% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.