Cost of Living · AR vs SA
🇦🇷 Buenos Aires vs 🇸🇦 Riyadh: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $913 in Argentina vs $1,033 in Saudi Arabia — 13.25% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in Saudi Arabia
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: 4.12%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 4.19%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 4.19%
Closest to Argentina prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +15.46%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +15.46%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +15.46%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Argentina | Saudi Arabia | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $578 | $667 (2,501 SAR) | +15.46% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $462 | $533 (2,001 SAR) | +15.46% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,056 | $1,219 (4,573 SAR) | +15.46% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.53 | $8.43 (32 SAR) | +11.95% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $31.39 | $35.14 (132 SAR) | +11.95% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $4.98 | $5.52 (21 SAR) | +10.84% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.58 | $0.63 (2 SAR) | +8.62% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $1.70 | $1.84 (7 SAR) | +8.24% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $1.80 | $1.96 (7 SAR) | +8.89% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $5.31 | $5.76 (22 SAR) | +8.47% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $2.12 | $2.30 (9 SAR) | +8.49% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $2.55 | $2.77 (10 SAR) | +8.63% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $6.37 | $6.91 (26 SAR) | +8.48% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.06 | $1.15 (4 SAR) | +8.49% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $2.51 | $2.81 (11 SAR) | +11.95% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $5.83 | $6.07 (23 SAR) | +4.12% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $2.09 | $2.34 (9 SAR) | +11.96% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.22 | $1.33 (5 SAR) | +9.02% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $29.45 | $32.63 (122 SAR) | +10.8% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.25 | $1.38 (5 SAR) | +10.4% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $1.67 | $1.87 (7 SAR) | +11.98% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $0.75 | $0.84 (3 SAR) | +12% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.69 | $0.72 (3 SAR) | +4.35% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $90.60 | $100 (377 SAR) | +10.82% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $31.71 | $35.14 (132 SAR) | +10.82% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $20.39 | $22.59 (85 SAR) | +10.79% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $20.93 | $23.43 (88 SAR) | +11.94% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $5.86 | $6.56 (25 SAR) | +11.95% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $12.56 | $14.06 (53 SAR) | +11.94% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $40.07 | $41.75 (157 SAR) | +4.19% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $65.57 | $68.32 (256 SAR) | +4.19% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $105 | $117 (439 SAR) | +11.96% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much more expensive is Saudi Arabia than Argentina?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,033 in Saudi Arabia versus $913 in Argentina — 13.25% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in Saudi Arabia?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.81 in Saudi Arabia (≈ 10.54 SAR), versus about $2.51 in Argentina.
- How much is rent in Saudi Arabia compared to Argentina?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $667/month in Saudi Arabia versus $578/month in Argentina (+15.46%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.