Job Discussion Forums

[dackinator]

Given how popular saudi arabia is for saving, there is a surprising lack of cost-of-living breakdowns on google. So I'm wondering here, how much do you spend on groceries per month? Minus any fun stuff.
I had a spell in Oman so perhaps it is similar? About 1500-2000 SAR / month?

[Foo_Fighters_Dave]

1000-1200 SAR a month for me.

[BajaLaJaula]

Depending on how often you eat out and what your tastes are, this is hard to answer.
Some like to eat out every night of the week. Others are content with minimal food stuff from grocery store.
..........
Caveat...one of the few entertainment options in KSA is eating out at restaurants, so if you cut that out completely you are really limiting your chances to do much else besides vegetate on your compound.

Also, how much do your eat? One shwarmaa enough for you?

Even with lower salaries, there is still opportunity to save some money if you limit your food expenses.

I have known some that would spend close to their entire monthly income on eating out at fancy restaurants and spending the rest on technology toys, and fake booze and such.

[MENA_chica]

I typically spent around 500 riyals a week on groceries and eating out. I was able to save about 80% of my salary most months.

[Thomasmc89]

Eating out can even be quite cheap if you find the right places.

I used to go to a Yemeni restaurant where you could get a big dish of foul (pronounced 'fool') or adas (addas) for only 7 riyals. They came with a big piece of freshly baked bread too. Also there were similar Indian places where you could get delicious beef or chicken stews that came with little side dishes of salad, dhal and other things for just 8 riyals in total. The hardest thing was just finding these places.

To find the cheapest prices of groceries make friends with some Indian guys because they always know the special market days and promotional days at the supermarkets where they can buy rice or fish at low prices.

[In the heat of the moment]

When I do a 'big shop' I'll usually spend around 500-800 SAR, and I'll do 2 or 3 of those a month. I tend to buy a lot of imported foods (French & British cheese, NZ beef and lamb, Norwegian salmon, foreign condiments), so its probably a bit more than most people spend on groceries. To counter that expense I rarely eat out, as I find restaurant food to be much too full of fat, salt and sugar.

[egyptfan]

Depends, but 200- 300 SR a week is usually enough to eat well if you cook at home.
This gives an idea of prices and is updated weekly with special offers.

https://ksaprice.com/en/deal/index

[baa_baa]

My mother was taking care of the economy. She managed to spend 500 on us (4people) weekly which included fun —- WELL fun was basically eating out once a week (shawarmas Burger King ice cream etc) -

We lived on a decent compound- maids pool recreation center etc and paid 25000. Less than that is filled with bugs and NOT decent. You’ll have problems with the door guy, land lord and neighbors are just disasters. The rent of such chaos was 15000 yearly. You can pay them in two installments. My friend chose chaos some how she’s happy and on her own. I really don’t know how’s she’s surviving. With this decency we couldn’t tolerate any more and we left. Of course we had one more reason. ( my father got sick.)

I’m sure you can do less weekly unless you are into steaks. Clean markets are Danube and maniguel. Don’t go somewhere else. Danube is more expensive but the meat and chicken are cleaner. Even if you can’t afford from Danube just eat less and go only to Danube. Take care of children well specifically girls wherever you go.

Hope all this helps.

[ginger123]

Hello everyone!

I think it is getting a bit expensive in Saudi compared to three or four years ago!
Plus, salaries are a joke!