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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,213 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,841 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,469 in Arar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Arar 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$6.76 SAR 25.39

-4.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$44.23 SAR 166

20.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.88 SAR 29.60

-1.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.74 SAR 6.54

16.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.82 SAR 6.85

45.05%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$3.75 SAR 14.09

16.80%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.79 SAR 2.98

29.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.31 SAR 1.17

64.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.64 SAR 6.15

6.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.99 SAR 3.71

40.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.28 SAR 8.57

5.26%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.45 SAR 9.22

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$7.02 SAR 26.37

-5.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$7.71 SAR 28.97

16.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.23 SAR 8.38

13.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.63 SAR 6.11

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.72 SAR 6.46

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.62 SAR 6.07

-3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.23 SAR 4.62

15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.28 SAR 4.80

29.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.19 SAR 4.48

43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.56 SAR 2.09

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.95 SAR 11.09

-11.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-16.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.11 SAR 7.93

-6.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$6.85 SAR 25.71

-3.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-12.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.08 SAR 151

53.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-15.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-49.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.59 SAR 2.21

10.17%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

-19.54%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

2.90%

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

$122 SAR 458

$106 SAR 398

15.01%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$33.94 SAR 127

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$75.2 SAR 282

8.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$86.9 SAR 326

22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$36.11 SAR 136

1.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.78 SAR 59.3

8.49%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$352 SAR 1,322

-14.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$6,960 SAR 26.1K

9.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$58.6 SAR 220

8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$60.4 SAR 227

14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$79.4 SAR 298

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$82.1 SAR 308

-4.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$440 SAR 1,654

-2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$383 SAR 1,439

2.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$858 SAR 3,224

22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$612 SAR 2,298

30.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,099 SAR 7,883

13.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,269 SAR 4,765

14.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

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 26, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $440 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 $216 vs $197 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 $1,985 in Al Khobar and $1,820 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $440 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $352 in Arar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,213 in Arar versus $1,323 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.