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: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,174 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,802 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,431 in Ar-rass.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 13% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Ar-rass is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.60

$6.58 SAR 24.71

3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$43.89 SAR 165

23.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.93 SAR 29.79

3.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.77 SAR 6.64

11.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.75 SAR 6.58

54.29%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.01

$3.69 SAR 13.87

15.45%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.79 SAR 2.97

21.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.29 SAR 1.08

68.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$2.33 SAR 8.77

-27.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.06 SAR 3.97

32.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$1.51 SAR 5.69

53.64%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$3.62 SAR 13.58

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.05

$6.82 SAR 25.62

1.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$7.40 SAR 27.79

23.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.34

$13.14 SAR 49.34

-4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.18 SAR 8.19

16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.64 SAR 6.17

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.72 SAR 6.47

23.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.56 SAR 5.85

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.23 SAR 4.61

14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.27 SAR 4.76

35.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.24 SAR 4.67

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.55 SAR 2.07

9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.40 SAR 9.03

12.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-14.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-10.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.45

$6.23 SAR 23.40

4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-13.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$39.89 SAR 150

50.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-14.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-49.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.58 SAR 2.18

12.07%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

-19.20%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

2.38%

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

$124 SAR 466

$107 SAR 403

15.44%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$33.12 SAR 124

4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$72.8 SAR 273

10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$45.13 SAR 169

142.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.22 SAR 132

4.49%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$15.83 SAR 59.5

9.67%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$355 SAR 1,334

-14.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$6,847 SAR 25.7K

10.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$21.29 SAR 79.9

197.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$60.0 SAR 225

16.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$79.2 SAR 297

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$83.0 SAR 312

-3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$437 SAR 1,641

-0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$386 SAR 1,450

3.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$384 SAR 1,442

175.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$615 SAR 2,309

32.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,551 SAR 9,580

-4.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,264 SAR 4,747

12.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,971

$1,700 SAR 6,383

9.21%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $437 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 9% 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: $54.0 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 13% 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.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Al Khobar, 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 $437 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $355 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,174 in Ar-rass versus $1,332 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 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.