Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Saudi Arabia
Address: SA

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $756 (excluding rent), and $1,244 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,814 (excluding rent), and $2,533 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 SAR 25.34

$4.06 SAR 15.22

$13.52 SAR 50.7

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$27.00 SAR 101

$81.9 SAR 307

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.59

$6.58 SAR 24.66

$9.21 SAR 34.55

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$3.26 SAR 12.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.07

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$3.23 SAR 12.10

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 13.99

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$6.16 SAR 23.12

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

$0.76 SAR 2.87

$0.69 SAR 2.60

$1.11 SAR 4.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.01

$0.16 SAR 0.58

$0.55 SAR 2.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$2.34 SAR 8.78

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.26 SAR 0.99

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.97 SAR 11.15

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.55

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$4.83 SAR 18.12

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.40 SAR 27.74

$4.06 SAR 15.22

$16.23 SAR 60.9

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 SAR 29.62

$3.91 SAR 14.67

$11.72 SAR 43.96

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 SAR 49.33

$8.05 SAR 30.18

$18.79 SAR 70.4

Apples (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.02

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.15 SAR 11.82

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$2.68 SAR 10.06

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.32

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$2.70 SAR 10.13

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.83

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$2.33 SAR 8.75

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.73 SAR 2.74

$2.16 SAR 8.09

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$2.15 SAR 8.06

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$0.41 SAR 1.54

$2.46 SAR 9.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$1.04 SAR 3.90

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.33

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$12.57 SAR 47.15

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$2.61 SAR 9.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$3.16 SAR 11.85

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.29 SAR 27.34

$6.25 SAR 23.42

$9.12 SAR 34.20

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.52 SAR 141

$13.40 SAR 50.2

$56.3 SAR 211

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.06

$2.15 SAR 8.05

$5.37 SAR 20.15

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.85

$0.79 SAR 2.95

$3.15 SAR 11.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.14 SAR 49.28

$7.88 SAR 29.56

$26.28 SAR 98.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.57 SAR 2.12

$0.61 SAR 2.30

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

$25.3K SAR 94.9K

$19.9K SAR 74.5K

$39.5K SAR 148.1K

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

$22.0K SAR 82.4K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

$25.0K SAR 93.9K

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

$106 SAR 399

$66.5 SAR 249

$199 SAR 748

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

$33.14 SAR 124

$19.73 SAR 74.0

$48.41 SAR 182

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 SAR 267

$53.1 SAR 199

$98.1 SAR 368

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.5 SAR 347

$52.6 SAR 197

$158 SAR 592

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.42 SAR 155

$21.16 SAR 79.4

$58.3 SAR 219

Cinema Ticket

$15.88 SAR 59.6

$11.91 SAR 44.66

$21.18 SAR 79.4

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$157 SAR 590

$656 SAR 2,460

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,088 SAR 26.6K

$3,975 SAR 14.9K

$14.6K SAR 54.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 SAR 196

$17.57 SAR 65.9

$108 SAR 405

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 SAR 217

$21.05 SAR 78.9

$105 SAR 395

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$53.9 SAR 202

$140 SAR 526

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.9 SAR 315

$40.29 SAR 151

$161 SAR 604

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 SAR 1,824

$267 SAR 1,002

$1,203 SAR 4,510

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$398 SAR 1,493

$211 SAR 793

$1,057 SAR 3,963

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$897 SAR 3,363

$485 SAR 1,820

$2,696 SAR 10.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$630 SAR 2,361

$395 SAR 1,482

$1,370 SAR 5,138

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 SAR 8,441

$1,106 SAR 4,148

$4,898 SAR 18.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 SAR 4,703

$665 SAR 2,492

$2,924 SAR 11.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,086 SAR 7,823

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.65

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

Last update: March 8, 2026

By City in Saudi Arabia

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	AL Kharj	-	48	$596	$941	$1,286	$2,054	262.59	167.84
2	Abha	236157	57	$840	$1,157	$2,180	$2,710	237.55	150.47
3	Ad Dammam	903312	61	$725	$1,215	$1,759	$2,564	38.92	191.37
4	Al Hufuf	660788	52	$689	$1,039	$1,795	$2,123	321.18	138.78
5	Al Khobar	219679	67	$819	$1,335	$1,987	$2,864	44.29	197.48
6	Al Majma'ah	-	62	$758	$1,223	$1,866	$2,590	-	-
7	Al Mubarraz	-	64	$834	$1,300	$1,616	$2,566	255.62	138.78
8	Al-Ula	32413	61	$634	$1,201	$1,851	$2,457	368.78	71.32
9	Al-hawiyah	148151	61	$693	$1,210	$1,659	$2,537	255.62	138.02
10	Ar-rass	121359	58	$762	$1,165	$1,849	$2,384	130.41	96.81
11	Arar	167057	61	$697	$1,212	$1,634	$2,473	112.29	153.64
12	Buraydah	467410	60	$758	$1,217	$1,980	$2,755	112.47	156.44
13	Dammam	903312	61	$737	$1,218	$1,740	$2,451	25.84	191.37
14	Dhahran	120521	66	$955	$1,317	$2,155	$2,694	207.04	213.98
15	Ha'il	310897	51	$623	$1,039	$1,295	$1,950	74.22	170.19
16	Hafar Al Batin	271642	60	$806	$1,203	$1,621	$2,422	43.91	160.48
17	Jeddah	3430697	61	$723	$1,214	$1,796	$2,502	98.88	194.69
18	Jizan	127743	51	$644	$1,013	$1,565	$2,157	139.02	119.6
19	Jubail	337778	53	$674	$1,054	$1,683	$2,240	23.56	171.09
20	Khafji	67012	59	$757	$1,169	$1,543	$2,474	53.54	177.2
21	Khamis Mushayt	430828	48	$731	$974	$1,869	$2,243	13.98	149.84
22	Mecca	1675368	53	$749	$1,032	$1,539	$2,776	84.22	155.27
23	Medina	1100093	74	$670	$1,459	$1,765	$2,239	92.02	194.47
24	Najran	298288	53	$734	$1,049	$1,810	$2,230	10.99	105.87
25	Qatif	87332	54	$606	$1,068	$1,912	$2,279	247.06	177.42
26	Rabigh	92072	57	$573	$1,130	$1,478	$2,250	89.15	72.86
27	Riyadh	5188286	89	$803	$1,772	$2,043	$3,236	206.34	206.55
28	Sakakah	242813	59	$738	$1,174	$1,482	$2,145	90.05	107.93
29	Tabuk	512629	67	$688	$1,339	$1,839	$2,716	25.06	172.26
30	Taif	579970	46	$706	$926	$1,444	$2,000	181.01	180.32
31	Umluj	37757	61	$813	$1,198	$1,695	$2,456	172.45	63.94
32	Unaizah	163729	58	$587	$1,160	$1,391	$2,388	42.22	132.15
33	Yanbu	233236	50	$736	$973	$1,410	$2,098	58.01	168.84

Saudi Arabia Median Internet Speeds (Updated January 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia is a useful framework to compare neighborhoods, cities, and your lifestyle choices on arrival. In Riyadh or Jeddah, housing and utilities can occupy a larger portion of your budget, while smaller towns tend to be more affordable. You may also see savings from domestic services, moderate grocery costs, and a car-friendly layout. Public transit quality varies, but ride-hailing and well-planned developments ease getting around. Seasonal heat drives cooling needs, yet modern compounds and amenities help keep costs predictable. Optimize your budget with longer leases, shared housing, and shopping at local markets for staples. Tip: Start with a short, flexible lease and compare neighborhoods by commute, amenities, and climate.

Daily life blends modern convenience with regional flavor. You'll find housing options from secure compounds to affordable apartments; seek leases that include utilities or offer flexible terms. Food choices span lively markets, casual eateries, and international supermarkets. Transport leans car-centric in many areas, with ride-hailing and limited public transit as practical options. For work or study, co-working spaces and cafes can be your go-to spots. Plan errands around prayer times and traffic rhythms. Having visibility into Saudi Arabia living cost helps you budget for housing, groceries, and utilities as you plan a stay. Tip: Map out a few reliable neighborhoods and set up a tour before you commit to a lease.

Quality of life in Saudi Arabia often comes from neighborhood fit, daily routines, and smart budgeting. Use a simple framework: essentials, flexible extras, and savings. Look for neighborhoods with good services, green spaces, and walkable streets that fit your pace. Be mindful of climate-driven energy use in summer; choosing energy-efficient housing and sensible cooling can keep bills reasonable. Balance dining out with market purchases and home cooking, and leverage coworking spaces to manage work-life balance. If you travel seasonally, plan trips during shoulder periods when crowds and prices ease. Tip: Prioritize areas with easy access to supermarkets, healthcare, and safe public spaces to reduce errand time.