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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,180 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,796 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,412 in Arar.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 21% more expensive than in Arar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Arar is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$6.61 SAR 24.81

3.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.56 SAR 141

60.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$7.94 SAR 29.84

-1.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$1.89 SAR 7.10

42.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$2.02 SAR 7.60

28.71%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.46 SAR 13.00

29.19%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.83 SAR 3.11

19.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.26 SAR 0.98

57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.69 SAR 6.33

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.17 SAR 4.39

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.25 SAR 8.44

12.44%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.35 SAR 8.82

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$7.49 SAR 28.15

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$8.22 SAR 30.89

21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$12.91 SAR 48.47

-8.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.16 SAR 8.11

27.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.72 SAR 6.45

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.55 SAR 5.81

31.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.66 SAR 6.24

9.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.19 SAR 4.46

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.36 SAR 5.11

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.19 SAR 4.46

44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.59 SAR 2.21

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-9.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-8.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.14 SAR 8.04

-9.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.50 SAR 24.43

4.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-24.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$36.08 SAR 136

90.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.59

$2.84 SAR 10.68

17.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.77 SAR 6.66

49.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.14

$13.05 SAR 49.01

-48.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-4.76%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

50.02%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

3.20%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$99.4 SAR 373

-0.72%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$32.81 SAR 123

-1.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$66.9 SAR 251

2.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$84.3 SAR 317

-2.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$37.46 SAR 141

-2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.21 SAR 49.63

13.93%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$338 SAR 1,271

80.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

26.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$51.2 SAR 192

23.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$57.1 SAR 215

43.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$96.0 SAR 360

1.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$88.8 SAR 334

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,413

$577 SAR 2,169

11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$343 SAR 1,287

49.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$864 SAR 3,246

36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$556 SAR 2,089

53.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,135

$2,381 SAR 8,943

2.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$1,381 SAR 5,187

6.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Arar: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $577 in Arar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $38.00 in Arar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $203 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 21% 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 $2,151 in Al Khobar and $1,770 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $577 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 91% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $338 in Arar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,180 in Arar versus $1,434 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 21% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.