Saudi Arabia vs South Africa - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Saudi Arabia South Africa
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1244
$815
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2803
$1899
🏠 One person rent
$651
$407
🏘️ Family rent
$1018
$697
🍽️ Food expenses
$330
$237
🚐 Transport expenses
$140
$101
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2163
$1312
💸 GDP per capita
$30448
$6766
😃 Human freedom index
4.53
6.92
❤️ Life expectancy
76.9
62.3
👮 Corruption perceptions index
52
41
🌐 English speaking %
55%
31%
🎓 Higher education
80
83
😀 Quality of life
62
41
🏙️ Population
33M
60.1M

The average cost of living in Saudi Arabia ($1244) is 53% more expensive than in South Africa ($815). Saudi Arabia ranked 46th vs 107th for South Africa in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.7 months in Saudi Arabia compared to 1.6 months in South Africa. Ranked 56th and 121st best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Saudi Arabia vs South Africa infographic

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Prices in Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

We calculate prices for Saudi Arabia and South Africa as a population-weighted mean of 22 and 36 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

Saudi Arabia South Africa
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$7
$6.88
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$47.8
$31.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.67
$4.04
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.74
$1.92
 Cappuccino
$3.91
$1.71
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.77
$0.9
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$672
$394
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$478
$283
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1266
$620
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$746
$543
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$61.7
$63.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$95.6
$97.9
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$73
$38.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.99%
11.09%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1778
$790
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1193
$670
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.19
$1.62
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$43
$46.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$15.8
$9.2
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.6
$1.17
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.64
$1.01
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1
$0.85
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.17
$1.21
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.65
$2.02
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.31
$7.09
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.38
$4.29
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.6
$6.07
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$1.37
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.65
$1.33
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.61
$1.24
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$1.37
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.27
$1.17
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$1.28
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.42
$0.56
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.99
$1.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$3.3
$5.02
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$1.13
🚬 Cigarette pack
$7.11
$2.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.57
$3.84
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.24
$3.16
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.03
$1.59
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.9
$0.99
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$96.8
$25.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$16.6
$5.61
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$40.4
$25
💇 Haircut, simple
$7.26
$5.4
👖 Brand Jeans
$49.5
$43
👟 Brand Sneakers
$98.2
$78.2
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$348
$188
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$7884
$3937

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Saudi Arabia vs South Africa

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In Saudi Arabia

City Cost of living Population
Riyadh
$1642
7.01M
Jeddah
$1100
4.7M
Mecca
$1032
1.68M
Dammam
$1005
903K
Medina
$892
1.18M
Tabuk
$1000
513K
Qatif
$868
625K
Unaizah
$1013
250K
Jubail
$910
379K
Yanbu
$844
299K
Al-Mubarraz
$768
299K
Abha
$923
236K
Dhahran
$959
138K
Ha'il
$996
311K
Ar Rass
$860
92.5K
Bareq
$920
75.4K
Najran
$1047
72K
Al Wajh
$879
50K
Bisha
$938
31.5K
Sakakah
$854
33.2K
As Sulayyil
$1085
8.21K
Dumat al-Jandal
$857
7.61K

In South Africa

City Cost of living Population
Johannesburg
$908
4.43M
Soweto
$875
1.27M
Pretoria
$783
742K
Rustenburg
$845
550K
Cape Town
$881
434K
Randburg
$776
337K
Durban
$780
595K
Centurion
$755
237K
Sandton
$889
222K
Pietermaritzburg
$609
619K
East London
$683
267K
Port Elizabeth
$866
312K
Kimberley
$753
225K
Kroonstad
$701
169K
Benoni
$741
159K
Klerksdorp
$621
187K
Bloemfontein
$601
256K
Springs
$631
122K
Vereeniging
$637
99K
Paarl
$773
112K
Worcester
$632
97.1K
Potchefstroom
$625
149K
Vanderbijlpark
$698
95.8K
Uitenhage
$805
104K
George
$684
157K
Mthatha
$689
96.1K
Upington
$643
121K
Middelburg
$866
87.3K
Bethal
$746
60.8K
Brits
$751
53.5K