Cost of Living: New York vs Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)
How expensive is Saudi Arabia compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and SAR — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Riyadh
- Price level vs US average
- 49.9 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 3.750 SAR
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 1.871 SAR
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
⚠️ This is Saudi Arabia’s national average. Major cities — especially Riyadh — are usually more expensive, mostly because of rent, so treat this as a lower bound for big-city living.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saudi Arabia cheaper than New York?
Yes. Saudi Arabia is 56% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 44, New York = 100).
What salary in Saudi Arabia equals $100,000 in New York?
About $44,319 a year (about SAR 166,194 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Saudi Arabia as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Is Riyadh more expensive than Saudi Arabia’s national average?
Usually, yes. The comparison here uses Saudi Arabia’s national average price level; large cities such as Riyadh typically cost more than the national figure, especially for rent.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.