So, you’re heading to Riyadh with a fantastic job offer and the chance to expand your cultural horizons. But, we hear you ask, what’s the cost of living in Riyadh?
Well, this is a major question anyone in their right mind would consider before starting a new life in foreign climes. The answer is: pretty reasonable for a capital city, especially when you factor in the wonderful weather and chance to immerse yourselves in a culture unlike any other.
As a capital city, prices for certain things will obviously be a little higher than you’d encounter in more remote regions of Saudi Arabia. However, if living in a massively multicultural metropolis such as Riyadh is what you aspire to (you’re not wrong), then a little extra expense shouldn’t put you off fulfilling your dream whatsoever. And when compared with other major cities in the region, such as Dubai, you’ll find some expenses cheaper.
When weighing up whether to move to any new country, the cost of living compared to your salary will be a massive factor, so in that case…
What is the average salary in Riyadh?
Depending on which profession you’re in and what experience you have the answer to this question can vary wildly. That doesn’t take a Sherlock Holmes to deduce, particularly considering it’s the case wherever you put your roots. (FYI, a police inspector should be looking at wages of about the SAR15,000 a month mark.)
Overall, the average salary in Riyadh varies between SAR5,100 and SAR19,000 a month but if you want a detailed breakdown on what you might rake in, check out international salary survey platform Pay Lab.
So, what will the basics cost me in Riyadh?
Rent
Unless you decide to hire a private jet for the year (if only) then this will be your biggest expense when moving to Riyadh. But let’s face it without a roof over your head, realistically life in your new city wouldn’t be at all feasible.
According to Gerardo Robledillo of Expatistan.com, the monthly rent for a married couple (or two flatmates) living in a furnished 900ft sq apartment varies from SAR2,736 to SAR6,643 depending on how pricey a part of town you decide to dwell in.
Should you be flying solo, a studio flat 480ft sq will cost you between SAR2,375 and SAR3,727 and give you more than enough room in which to swing that cricket bat you bought before taking your amazing new job (that you also paid excess baggage fees for on the way to Riyadh as it weighs a ton).
Utilities
The Saudi Electricity Company will provide you the spark you need to keep your home running with and while it all depends on how much air-con you use (it’s vital in the summer months, trust us) and whether it’s included in your rental package. With that and your gas and water bill, expect to pay roughly SAR350 a month.
Internet
A basic internet package in Riyadh (at 8Mbps) will set you back about SAR160 a month but for a little more you can grab a 60Mbps offering for as little as SAR240. It all depends on your streaming and gaming needs, we guess.
Phone
STC, Mobily and Zain are the three main phone providers in Saudi Arabia (they provide most of the internet, too) and each offer some thoroughly reasonable tariffs. If you’re just looking for a basic way to keep communicating with your nearest and dearest both in Riyadh and back home, you can find post-paid subscriptions starting from SAR57.5 a month.
Food
Without doubt it all depends where you shop and what your diet is as to how much your monthly sustenance costs you. Yes, you could have caviar and a cup of 24-karat gold-flaked coffee for breakfast every morning but for Average Joes and Joannes such as, tea and toast will more than suffice.
A litre of milk in Riyadh costs around SAR4.80 and a decent loaf of bread about half that price. A dozen eggs (if you want something scrambled upon said toast) will come in at about SAR8 and a kilo of apples to spread over the week’s packed lunches should cost a riyal less.
If you want to eat out but don’t want to splash out, a fast-food chain combo meal will make your wallet on average SAR27 lighter. For something to wash it down with, you can pick up a 1.5l bottle of Nova Water for as little as SAR1.
Transport
We’d all love a chauffeur (or aforementioned private jet) to take us around our new city but for us mere mortals on a good-to-average wage, such luxuries are clearly unobtainable.
A SAPTCO bus is the cheapest form of transport in Riyadh (apart from good, old-fashioned leg power) and their routes should cover most commutes for as little as SAR3. Taxis will cost a little more, fares covering 8km on a weekday working out at roughly SAR40. But if you have the requisite licence and wherewithal, you can rent your very own motor for about SAR1,200 a month, plus SAR1.50 for a litre of petrol.
