Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia for Single Person & Family in 2024

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In Western Asia, Saudi Arabia is famous for its rich Islamic heritage and significant contributions to the global oil market. In recent years, major developments have changed the country's economic and social face. 

This country has undergone massive modernisation and has improved the quality of life for its people. With access to modern facilities and recreational facilities, Saudi Arabia is quietly expecting an influx of students and the working class.

If you are planning to move to this country, knowing the cost of living in Saudi Arabia can be greatly helpful. This article can provide you with this information.

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Average Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia for International Students

Being a developing country, Saudi Arabia can be expensive, but it comes with great living facilities and a good education system. 

Below is a breakdown of the typical living costs for international students in Saudi Arabia:

   
Area of Expense Monthly Expenses (in SAR)
Accommodation 2,300 SAR - 2,700 SAR
Food and Groceries 500 SAR- 800 SAR
Transportation 100 SAR- 250 SAR
Utilities 700 SAR - 900 SAR
Entertainment 500 SAR- 750 SAR
Personal Expenses 400 SAR- 800 SAR

Average Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia for Bachelors, Couples & Families

Understanding the average cost of living in Saudi Arabia helps with financial planning, especially if you want to settle in Saudi Arabia, whether you are settling with your family or alone as a student or bachelor.

 The table below will help you plan your finances accordingly:

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 1,700 SAR- 1,850 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,300 SAR - 1,650 SAR/month		 City Centre: 1,900 SAR - 2,200 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,800 SAR - 1,950 SAR/month		 City Centre: 3,260 SAR - 3,500 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 2,231 SAR- 2,400 SAR /month
Food and Groceries 25 SAR/ meal 60 SAR/ meal 120 SAR/ meal
Transportation 108 SAR /month 240 SAR /month 550 SAR /month
Utilities 400 SAR - 500 SAR /month 640 SAR - 800 SAR/month 700 SAR - 1000 SAR /month
Entertainment 200 SAR - 250/month 370 SAR - 450 SAR /month 500 SAR - 800 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 100 SAR - 250/month 270 SAR - 350 SAR /month 400 SAR - 600 SAR /month

Cost of Living in Major Cities in Saudi Arabia

Here is an overview of the average cost of living in some of the top cities in Saudi Arabia:

 

Cost of Living in Riyadh

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 4,200 SAR- 4,550 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 2,900 SAR - 3,250 SAR/month		 City Centre: 5,900 SAR - 6,200 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 3,800 SAR - 5,950 SAR/month		 City Centre: 7,260 SAR - 7,500 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 3,950 SAR- 4,400 SAR /month
Food and Groceries 30 SAR - 35 SAR/ meal 60 SAR- 80 SAR /meal 250 SAR- 400 SAR /meal
Transportation Approximately 140 SAR /month Approximately 300 SAR /month Approximately 400- 600 SAR /month
Utilities About 350 SAR /month About 600 SAR /month About 900 SAR /month
Entertainment 150 SAR - 190 SAR /month 300 SAR - 350 SAR /month 500 SAR- 800 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 170 SAR - 190 SAR/month 260 SAR - 400 SAR/ month 470 - 700 SAR/ month

Cost of Living in Makkah

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 800 SAR- 950 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,000 SAR - 1050 SAR/month		 City Centre: 1900 SAR - 2,200 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,800 SAR - 1,950 SAR/month		 City Centre: 2,689 SAR - 2,700 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 2,231 SAR- 2,400 SAR /month
Food and Groceries 22 SAR - 25 SAR/ meal 40 SAR- 80 SAR /meal 150 SAR- 300 SAR /meal
Transportation Approximately 70 SAR /month Approximately 200 SAR /month Approximately 300- 600 SAR /month
Utilities About 350 SAR /month About 500 SAR /month About 800 SAR /month
Entertainment 100 SAR -160 SAR /month 200 SAR - 350 SAR /month 400 SAR- 800 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 170 SAR - 210 SAR/month 320 SAR - 500 SAR/ month 570 - 700 SAR/ month

Cost of Living in Al Khobar

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 1,500 SAR- 1,550 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,400 SAR - 1,450 SAR/month		 City Centre: 2,000 SAR - 2,200 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,900 SAR - 2,150 SAR/month		 City Centre: 2,760 SAR - 2,900 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 3,750 SAR- 4,400 SAR /month
Food and Groceries Approximately 20 SAR/ meal Approximately 80 SAR /meal Approximately 250 SAR /meal
Transportation Approximately 230 SAR /month Approximately 450 SAR /month Approximately 500- 800 SAR /month
Utilities About 850 SAR /month About 1,300 SAR /month About 1,800 SAR /month
Entertainment 150 SAR -290 SAR /month 300 SAR - 550 SAR /month 700 SAR- 1,000 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 260- 410 SAR/month 420 SAR - 650 SAR/ month 800 SAR- 1,280 SAR/month

Cost of Living in Medina

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 1,200 SAR- 1,450 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 700 SAR - 1050 SAR/month		 City Centre: 1,500 SAR - 1,800 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 800 SAR - 950 SAR/month		 City Centre: 2,4681 SAR - 2,500 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,560 SAR- 1800 SAR /month
Food and Groceries Approximately 25 SAR/ meal Approximately 80 SAR /meal Approximately 300 SAR /meal
Transportation Approximately 200 SAR /month Approximately 500 SAR /month Approximately 900 SAR /month
Utilities About 550 SAR /month About 1,100 SAR /month About 1,800 SAR /month
Entertainment 150 SAR -190 SAR /month 200 SAR - 350 SAR /month 400 SAR- 800 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 170 SAR- 300 SAR/ month 310 SAR- 560 SAR/ month 680- 1,000 SAR/ month

Cost of Living in Tabuk

Area of Expense Bachelors Couples Families
Accommodation City Centre: 1,080 SAR- 1,250 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,050 SAR - 1,150 SAR/month		 City Centre: 1,600 SAR - 1,800 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 1,400 SAR - 1,550 SAR/month		 City Centre: 2,560 SAR - 2,700 SAR /month
Suburban Areas: 2,331 SAR- 2,400 SAR /month
Food and Groceries Approximately 40 SAR/ meal Approximately 100 SAR /meal Approximately 400 SAR /meal
Transportation NA NA NA
Utilities About 650 SAR /month About 900 SAR /month About 1,500 SAR /month
Entertainment 250 SAR -390 SAR /month 400 SAR - 650 SAR /month 800 SAR- 1200 SAR /month
Personal Expenses 200 SAR- 300 SAR/ month 500 SAR- 600 SAR/ month 1,080- 1,200 SAR/ month

Factors Impacting the Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia

Several factors influence the cost of living in Saudi Arabia:

Location

Cities like Riyadh, Mecca, and Madinah can be costly, as Mecca and Madina mostly see worshippers through the years, and Riyadh is the capital city. However, the country attracts a lot of students and bachelors every year, and you can choose to live somewhere within your budget.

Lifestyle

Food and entertainment expenses can be high, as most of these are tourist destinations, so restaurant meals can be expensive. However, you can try different street food and small cafes, which can be equally good and light on the pocket.

Housing

The standard of living in Saudi Arabia is almost 101 times higher than in many cities in India, making it an expensive country to live in. Therefore, international students often take up part-time jobs or share space with a few people to fund themselves while living alone here.

Transportation

Transportation by public means is moderately cheap, but personal vehicles and their maintenance can be pricey.

Utilities and Groceries

Prices for food and other necessities may differ from city to city in Saudi Arabia. Exported products are usually more expensive than locally produced ones.

What is the Average Income in Saudi Arabia?

The income needed to live comfortably in Saudi Arabia varies based on individual circumstances:

  • Student: A student typically needs 3,000 SAR to 5,000 SAR monthly to live comfortably, excluding tuition fees.
  • Bachelor: An income of 7,000 SAR to 10,000 SAR per month is enough to cover basic expenses for a single person. 
  • Couple: Though Saudi Arabia usually does not recognise the cohabitation of people outside marriage, a couple will need approximately 20,000 SAR to 40,000 SAR.
  • Families: A family of four may need an income of 70,000 SAR to 1,50,000 SAR per month for families.

The table below mentions some of the highest-paying jobs in Saudi Arabia, along with their salaries:

Job Title Average Salary (SAR)
Country Director 46,067 SAR
Managing Director 45,400 SAR
It Director 44,600 SAR
Financial manager 40,000 SAR
Chief Executive Officer 39,350 SAR
Marketing Director 38,000 SAR
Sales Director 37,200 SAR
Technical Director 37,100 SAR
Production Director 36,400 SAR
Call Center Director 35,700

How Expensive is Saudi Arabia Compared to Other Countries?

Saudi Arabia is known for its excellent quality of living and safety standards for its people. Due to the higher standard of living, it can get more expensive if you are looking to live comfortably there. 

Below is a comparison of living costs between Saudi Arabia and other major cities:

City Accommodation (Monthly) Transportation (Monthly) Meal for 2 People Other Miscellaneous Expenses
Riyadh Starting 2,900 SAR Starting 140 SAR Starting 60 SAR 200 SAR - 800 SAR (per month)
Helsinki Starting EUR 700 Starting EUR 20 EUR 35 EUR 300 - EUR 600 (per month)
Dubai Starting AED 4,904 Starting AED 300 AED 300 AED 600 (per month)
Delhi Starting ₹17,000 Starting ₹1,000 ₹1,200 ₹2,000 (per month)
Sydney Starting AUD 2,255.23 Starting AUD 160 AUD 120 AUD 50 - AUD 100 (per month)
New York Starting $2,960 Starting $132 $130 Starting $200 (per month)
London Starting £1,100 Starting £177 £80 £200 - £300 (per month)
Singapore S$2,000 - S$4,000 S$1,000 - S$1,500 S$92.50 S$200 - S$400 (per month)
Tokyo ¥150,000 - ¥200,000 ¥10,000 to ¥15,000 ¥7,125 ¥10,000 - ¥15,000 (per month)
Berlin €800 - €1,200 €80 to €90 €70 €100 - €200 (per month)
Shanghai Starting CNY 3,785 Starting CNY 250 CNY 200 CNY 440 (per month)

Tips for Reducing the Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia

Here are some tips to help reduce the average cost of living in Saudi Arabia:

  • Students and bachelors can share apartments in cities like Riyadh to reduce rent. 

  • Saudi Arabia offers relatively cheap public transport that can be utilised while travelling across cities. Additionally, it is quite safe and efficient to use while travelling in cities like Riyadh and Makkah.

  • Buying foods and groceries from local and traditional markets is much cheaper than buying them from departmental stores and supermarkets.

  • Switch off electrical appliances when you leave your house to save money on your electricity bill. The same can be done for Wi-Fi and water usage. 

  • Preparing your meals at home is cheaper than eating out, so make sure to eat home-cooked food as much as possible.

  • Entertainment can be expensive in Saudi Arabia, so you can look for free fun activities like going to parks and beaches, attending free cultural events, etc. 

Saudi Arabia offers a range of entertainment options for bachelors, couples and families. Still, you need to be smart in dealing with those expenses to ensure you do not empty your account. Though Saudi Arabia is moderately expensive, there are a lot of ways to save money and enjoy the city while you are there. 

This article provides all the necessary information about the average cost of living in Saudi Arabia so that you can make informed decisions and manage your expenses effectively.

FAQs about the Cost of Living in Saudi Arabia