Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,169 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,770 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,372 in Ar-rass.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 15% more expensive than Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Ar-rass is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$6.55 SAR 24.58

3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$44.10 SAR 166

19.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.87 SAR 29.52

2.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.70 SAR 6.38

18.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.83 SAR 6.87

48.63%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.62 SAR 13.57

19.34%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.76 SAR 2.84

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.29 SAR 1.08

75.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.01 SAR 3.79

36.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$1.55 SAR 5.82

50.32%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$3.61 SAR 13.56

-19.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$6.77 SAR 25.40

-2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$7.45 SAR 27.96

23.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$13.04 SAR 48.93

-2.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.23 SAR 8.38

12.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.64 SAR 6.16

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.75 SAR 6.56

20.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.56 SAR 5.87

5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.28 SAR 4.81

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.31 SAR 4.92

27.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.19 SAR 4.46

47.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.59 SAR 2.20

5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$2.80 SAR 10.51

-4.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.74 SAR 6.53

-18.39%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-5.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$6.29 SAR 23.61

7.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.20 SAR 147

57.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.61 SAR 9.78

-13.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-32.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.48 SAR 50.6

-51.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.59 SAR 2.21

1.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

-21.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

0.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 SAR 461

$104 SAR 390

17.97%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$34.93 SAR 131

$33.90 SAR 127

3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$72.7 SAR 273

10.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$43.87 SAR 165

142.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$35.18 SAR 132

2.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.52 SAR 58.3

13.79%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$307 SAR 1,151

$349 SAR 1,310

-12.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$6,909 SAR 25.9K

9.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$21.12 SAR 79.3

201.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$61.3 SAR 230

14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$79.5 SAR 298

24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$82.4 SAR 309

-1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$445 SAR 1,669

-2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$382 SAR 1,434

3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$388 SAR 1,455

165.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$614 SAR 2,303

28.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,559 SAR 9,604

-5.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,508 SAR 5,658

-3.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$1,728 SAR 6,485

8.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $445 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $44.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $205 per month, with Ar-rass cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Al Khobar vs Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ar-rass the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Al Khobar pays 8% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Al Khobar versus $445 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 57% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $349 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,169 in Ar-rass versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Ar-rass are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.