Cost of living in Riyadh
Tax-free income and cheap fuel in the fastest-changing city in the Gulf; a car is mandatory and summers hit 44°C.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $1,100, Food $496, Transport $85, Utilities $204, Healthcare $35, Lifestyle $170, Other $79.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $1,100
Salary and tax in Riyadh
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $0 | $0 | $3,333 | 0.0% | $1,165 |
| $75,000 | $0 | $0 | $6,250 | 0.0% | $4,081 |
| $120,000 | $0 | $0 | $10,000 | 0.0% | $7,831 |
| $200,000 | $0 | $0 | $16,667 | 0.0% | $14,498 |
- No personal income tax. GOSI contributions apply to Saudi nationals only.
People who actually live in Riyadh
Quality of life
A year of weather in Riyadh
Average monthly temperature in Riyadh: January 14.9 degrees, February 17.1 degrees, March 21.8 degrees, April 26.8 degrees, May 33 degrees, June 36.6 degrees, July 37.7 degrees, August 37.6 degrees, September 34.7 degrees, October 28.8 degrees, November 22.9 degrees, December 17.5 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived17%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated83%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Riyadh
| Item | USD | SAR |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $1,100 | SAR 4,125 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $800 | SAR 3,000 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $2,200 | SAR 8,250 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $1,500 | SAR 5,625 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $2,800 | SAR 10,500 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $180 | SAR 675 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $58 | SAR 218 |
| Mobile plan | $29 | SAR 109 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $380 | SAR 1,425 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $5.75 | SAR 22 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $47 | SAR 176 |
| Coffee | $2.88 | SAR 11 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $56 | SAR 210 |
| Taxi, per km | $0.80 | SAR 3.00 |
| Petrol, per litre | $0.65 | SAR 2.44 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $200 | SAR 750 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $70 | SAR 263 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $700 | SAR 2,625 |
| International school, per year | $18,000 | SAR 67,500 |
| Gym membership | $70 | SAR 263 |
| Cinema ticket | $11 | SAR 41 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
Premium Residency or employer sponsorship. No personal income tax.
1 USD ≈ SAR 3.75
Asia/Riyadh
arid climate
Compare Riyadh with…
Getting set up in Riyadh
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Riyadh — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Riyadh?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $2,169 a month, of which $1,100 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $2,959, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $5,780.
Is Riyadh expensive?
On our index Riyadh scores 34 where New York is 100 — about 66% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $2,600 a month covers 1.2× that budget.
What salary do you need in Riyadh?
To cover the single-adult budget of $2,169 a month after tax, you need roughly $26,000 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Riyadh?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $1,100 a month, $800 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $2,200 central and $1,500 further out.
Can you work remotely from Riyadh?
Premium Residency or employer sponsorship. No personal income tax.
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.