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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,232 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,884 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,535 in Arar.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 9% more expensive than Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Arar is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$6.68 SAR 25.08

-0.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$44.47 SAR 167

18.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.89 SAR 29.62

1.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.76 SAR 6.61

15.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.75 SAR 6.55

53.71%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$3.75 SAR 14.08

15.73%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.79 SAR 2.97

18.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.29 SAR 1.08

75.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.63 SAR 6.13

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.00 SAR 3.76

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.38 SAR 8.91

-3.36%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.46 SAR 9.22

18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$6.92 SAR 25.95

-3.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$7.66 SAR 28.75

21.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$13.15 SAR 49.35

-4.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.18 SAR 8.18

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.60 SAR 6.00

8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.67 SAR 6.27

33.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.57 SAR 5.91

3.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.24 SAR 4.67

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.32 SAR 4.96

30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.23 SAR 4.63

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.59 SAR 2.22

6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.80 SAR 10.51

-6.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-17.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-2.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$7.18 SAR 26.93

-5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$40.76 SAR 153

50.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.68 SAR 10.06

-18.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-31.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.10 SAR 49.15

-49.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.25

1.67%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-19.11%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

4.02%

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

$125 SAR 468

$105 SAR 395

18.56%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$33.07 SAR 124

5.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$77.6 SAR 291

4.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$89.2 SAR 335

22.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$35.42 SAR 133

2.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.52 SAR 58.2

13.79%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$355 SAR 1,330

-14.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$7,036 SAR 26.4K

8.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.9 SAR 225

7.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$59.2 SAR 222

16.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$79.4 SAR 298

25.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$83.1 SAR 312

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$437 SAR 1,641

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$380 SAR 1,428

6.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$852 SAR 3,197

19.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$627 SAR 2,352

29.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,081 SAR 7,808

15.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,461 SAR 5,483

0.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

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 7, 2026

Last update for Arar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $437 in Arar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $44.00 in Arar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $198 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 9% 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 $2,019 in Al Khobar and $1,848 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $437 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 50% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $355 in Arar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,232 in Arar versus $1,346 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.