Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,198 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,843 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,488 in Arar.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Arar is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$6.71 SAR 25.15

1.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$44.18 SAR 166

18.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.94 SAR 29.76

-1.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.69 SAR 6.33

20.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.77 SAR 6.63

54.24%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.74 SAR 14.02

13.10%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.79 SAR 2.96

29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.31 SAR 1.17

58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.63 SAR 6.12

8.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.94 SAR 3.52

42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.31 SAR 8.67

3.90%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.40 SAR 9.01

17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.85 SAR 25.68

0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$7.45 SAR 27.92

21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$13.05 SAR 48.94

-5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.25 SAR 8.44

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.65 SAR 6.20

4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.74 SAR 6.53

27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.58 SAR 5.92

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.23 SAR 4.61

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.32 SAR 4.94

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.18 SAR 4.43

44.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.55 SAR 2.06

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.40 SAR 9.00

13.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-16.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-10.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.06 SAR 26.48

-6.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-15.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$40.66 SAR 152

46.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.64 SAR 9.91

-16.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.92 SAR 7.22

-31.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.11 SAR 49.17

-48.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-1.56%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

-20.67%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

5.16%

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

$123 SAR 461

$107 SAR 400

15.13%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$34.21 SAR 128

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$77.0 SAR 289

5.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$89.2 SAR 334

22.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$36.08 SAR 135

-0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.59 SAR 58.5

10.01%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$356 SAR 1,335

-14.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$7,029 SAR 26.4K

7.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$59.6 SAR 223

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$60.1 SAR 225

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$79.4 SAR 298

24.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$82.2 SAR 308

-3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$446 SAR 1,671

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$374 SAR 1,401

5.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$867 SAR 3,250

21.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$629 SAR 2,357

25.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,306 SAR 8,648

4.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,419 SAR 5,320

0.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Arar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $446 in Arar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $44.00 in Arar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $195 per month, with Arar 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arar wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,012 in Al Khobar and $1,797 in Arar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Al Khobar versus $446 in Arar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Arar runs roughly 46% 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 $356 in Arar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,198 in Arar versus $1,341 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arar but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Arar 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 Arar 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 Arar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.