Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1244
$1906
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2803
$4478
🏠 One person rent
$651
$1251
🏘️ Family rent
$1018
$2458
🍽️ Food expenses
$330
$399
🚐 Transport expenses
$140
$128
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$2163
$3333
💸 GDP per capita
$30448
$53708
😃 Human freedom index
4.53
5.73
❤️ Life expectancy
76.9
78.7
👮 Corruption perceptions index
52
68
🌐 English speaking %
55%
65%
🎓 Higher education
80
68
😀 Quality of life
62
80
🏙️ Population
33M
9.89M

The average cost of living in Saudi Arabia ($1244) is 35% less expensive than in the United Arab Emirates ($1906). Saudi Arabia ranked 46th vs 19th for the United Arab Emirates 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 1.7 months in the United Arab Emirates. Ranked 56th and 29th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates infographic

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Prices in Saudi Arabia vs the United Arab Emirates

We calculate prices for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as a population-weighted mean of 22 and 9 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 United Arab Emirates
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$7
$8.62
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$47.8
$55.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.67
$8.7
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.74
$11.1
 Cappuccino
$3.91
$5.53
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.77
$1.06
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$672
$1366
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$478
$969
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1266
$2816
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$746
$2022
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$61.7
$119
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$95.6
$183
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$73
$97.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.99%
4.84%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1778
$5319
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1193
$3504
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.19
$1.52
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$43
$60
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$15.8
$9.73
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$0.6
$0.83
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.64
$1.83
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1
$1.33
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.17
$1.69
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.65
$2.94
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.31
$10.7
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.38
$7.85
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.6
$10.1
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.11
$2.13
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.65
$1.76
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.61
$1.73
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$1.43
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.27
$0.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.19
$0.92
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.42
$0.39
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.99
$2.16
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$3.3
$12.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.93
$2.56
🚬 Cigarette pack
$7.11
$5.95
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$3.57
$6.47
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.24
$5.23
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.03
$3.04
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.9
$3.56
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$96.8
$73.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$16.6
$12.9
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$40.4
$67.3
💇 Haircut, simple
$7.26
$8.91
👖 Brand Jeans
$49.5
$59.3
👟 Brand Sneakers
$98.2
$87.6
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$348
$572
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$7884
$10836

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in Saudi Arabia vs the United Arab Emirates

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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 the United Arab Emirates

City Cost of living Population
Dubai
$2229
3.33M
Abu Dhabi
$1936
1.48M
Al Ain
$1132
767K
Sharjah
$1612
1.25M
Ajman
$1841
490K
Ras al-Khaimah
$1584
116K
Umm al-Quwain
$1577
44.4K
Fujairah
$1191
97.2K
Madinat Zayed
$1673
29.1K