Living in Riyadh: cost of living, rent and salary
Updated 3 October 2026
In Riyadh, a one-bedroom home costs about SAR 2,330 (≈ €550) a month. To keep the lifestyle of someone living in London, you need about SAR 5,250 (≈ €1,230) net a month. Here is the rent by type of home, the month’s budget line by line, and the sources.
Example: the same life, elsewhere
A single person living in London in a one-bedroom home, with the average spending of a similar household, spends about £3,350 a month. To keep the same life in Riyadh, they would need about SAR 5,250 (≈ €1,230) net a month locally (−69%).
For a couple with two children in a two-bedroom home (private or international school), it would take about SAR 18,700 (≈ €4,380) net a month in Riyadh.
Calculated on 3 October 2026 with the official averages of London and the destination’s prices. Yours depends on your city, home and habits: the calculator works it out in a few minutes, no sign-up.
Rent in Riyadh
| Type of home | Outside sought-after areas | Outside sought-after areas, in euros |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | SAR 2,330 | €550 |
| 1 bedroom | SAR 2,330 | €550 |
| 2 bedrooms | SAR 3,990 | €940 |
| 3-bedroom house | SAR 5,420 | €1,270 |
Monthly rent in SAR, outside the most sought-after areas. Studio 28 m², 1 bedroom 45 m², 2 bedrooms 65 m², house 95 m² where rent is known per m². Global Property Guide, Saudi Arabia rental yields for Q1 2026: median asking rents of flats in Riyadh (Bayut data), converted to riyals ($1 = SAR 3.75) (Q1 2026).
A month’s budget in Riyadh, line by line
For a single person renting a one-bedroom home and keeping the average habits of a household in London, here is what each line would cost in Riyadh.
| Item | London | Riyadh | Riyadh (SAR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | £2,550 | £470 | SAR 2,330 |
| Housing tax | £50 | £0 | SAR 0 |
| Electricity, water, gas | £100 | £10 | SAR 70 |
| Groceries | £200 | £210 | SAR 1,050 |
| Restaurants and outings | £110 | £60 | SAR 280 |
| Transport | £100 | £40 | SAR 170 |
| Health | £40 | £0 | SAR 0 |
| Phone and internet | £50 | £70 | SAR 360 |
| Sport | £60 | £40 | SAR 210 |
| Clothes | £60 | £50 | SAR 260 |
| Hairdresser and beauty | £40 | £20 | SAR 110 |
| Trips back to London | £0 | £80 | SAR 390 |
| Total per month | £3,350 | £1,050 | SAR 5,250 |
Estimate: lines without an answer take the official average of the departure city, then the destination’s prices. The calculator starts from your real amounts.
Visa, healthcare, school, electricity
These rules are the same across the country: find them on the page Living in Saudi Arabia.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do you need to live in Riyadh?
For a single person keeping the same life as in London: about SAR 5,250 (≈ €1,230) net a month.
How much is rent in Riyadh?
About SAR 2,330 (≈ €550) a month for a one-bedroom home and SAR 3,990 for a two-bedroom home, according to Global Property Guide, Saudi Arabia rental yields for Q1 2026.
Is it expensive to live in Riyadh?
In London, a single person spends about £3,350 a month; with the same life in Riyadh, it would be about £1,050 (−69%).