Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Ar-rass

For one person, living is cheaper in Ar-rass: $1,154 a month against $1,405 in Al Khobar, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

68

Cost of Living Index in Al Khobar
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Al Khobar Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Ar-rass
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Ar-rass Living Index

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Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,405

/mo nomad

Ar-rass

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,154

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Khobar and in Ar-rass

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Khobar and in Ar-rass actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,405 in Al Khobar versus $1,154 in Ar-rass.

Al Khobar $1,405
Ar-rass $1,154

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,186 in Al Khobar versus $1,690 in Ar-rass.

Al Khobar $2,186
Ar-rass $1,690

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,967 in Al Khobar versus $2,226 in Ar-rass.

Al Khobar $2,967
Ar-rass $2,226

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 22% more expensive than in Ar-rass, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 4% above, Ar-rass is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 SAR 24.51

$6.16 SAR 23.12

6.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 SAR 222

$37.47 SAR 141

58.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 SAR 29.50

$7.90 SAR 29.65

-0.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 SAR 10.28

$1.89 SAR 7.07

44.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$2.29 SAR 8.58

17.03%

Cappuccino

$4.48 SAR 16.79

$3.25 SAR 12.18

37.85%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.26 SAR 0.98

46.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-6.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$0.39 SAR 1.45

228.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$1.92 SAR 7.19

28.13%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.69

$3.60 SAR 13.52

-35.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.84

$7.00 SAR 26.28

2.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 SAR 38.43

$8.05 SAR 30.20

27.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.69 SAR 43.86

$12.79 SAR 47.99

-8.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.24 SAR 8.41

16.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$1.57 SAR 5.91

26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.57 SAR 5.89

12.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.16 SAR 4.37

17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.36 SAR 5.11

22.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.28 SAR 4.79

29.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 2.01

$0.57 SAR 2.14

-7.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$3.26 SAR 12.24

-19.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-20.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-18.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.00

$7.53 SAR 28.27

-11.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 SAR 2.75

$0.98 SAR 3.69

-25.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.2 SAR 252

$34.39 SAR 129

95.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.14

$2.59 SAR 9.72

24.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$1.87 SAR 7.02

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$11.84 SAR 44.42

-45.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-3.08%

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

$66.3K SAR 248.6K

$43.1K SAR 161.7K

53.70%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.6K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

8.05%

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

$99.6 SAR 374

$110 SAR 414

-9.70%

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

$33.32 SAR 125

$23.87 SAR 89.6

39.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 265

$59.0 SAR 221

19.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.0 SAR 308

$44.88 SAR 168

82.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.23 SAR 140

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 SAR 56.6

$13.43 SAR 50.4

12.21%

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

$589 SAR 2,210

$425 SAR 1,595

38.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,524 SAR 32.0K

$8,688 SAR 32.6K

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 SAR 233

$42.84 SAR 161

44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.0 SAR 312

$62.4 SAR 234

33.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$96.1 SAR 360

1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 SAR 352

$87.6 SAR 329

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 SAR 2,363

$579 SAR 2,174

8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 SAR 1,873

$394 SAR 1,480

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 SAR 4,454

$388 SAR 1,456

205.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,226

$563 SAR 2,111

52.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,404 SAR 9,020

$2,625 SAR 9,851

-8.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,444 SAR 5,417

$1,188 SAR 4,460

21.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,829 SAR 6,864

$1,765 SAR 6,622

3.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.54

6.14%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Al Khobar

$499 35.5%

Ar-rass

$394 34.2% 21% $105

Groceries & Markets

Al Khobar

$217 15.5%

Ar-rass

$198 17.1% 9.1% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al Khobar

$203 14.5%

Ar-rass

$193 16.7% 5.1% $10

Clothing & Footwear

Al Khobar

$151 10.8%

Ar-rass

$130 11.3% 14.1% $21

Eating Out

Al Khobar

$135 9.6%

Ar-rass

$117 10.1% 13.3% $18

Sport & Entertainment

Al Khobar

$112 8%

Ar-rass

$72 6.2% 36% $40

Getting Around

Al Khobar

$87 6.2%

Ar-rass

$50 4.4% 42.2% $37

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $630 in Al Khobar and $579 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 4% 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: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $37.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $198 per month, with Ar-rass cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Ar-rass

🕒 Local time

17:27 5:27 PM

Same time as Al Khobar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

219,679

121,359

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Al Khobar Ar-rass 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Al Khobar
Ar-rass

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 22% 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 4% 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: $630 in Al Khobar versus $579 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 96% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $589 in Al Khobar versus $425 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,154 in Ar-rass versus $1,405 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 22% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.