Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rass and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,096 in Ar-rass versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,661 in Ar-rass versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,226 in Ar-rass versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 22% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rass is 20% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$6.53 SAR 24.53

0.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.31 SAR 140

$60.0 SAR 225

-37.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 SAR 30.39

$7.77 SAR 29.18

4.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-32.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-24.44%

Cappuccino

$3.31 SAR 12.43

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-26.28%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-8.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-41.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.64 SAR 6.15

15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-69.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-23.58%

Eggs

$3.54 SAR 13.30

$2.39 SAR 8.97

48.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.40

$7.18 SAR 26.95

1.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 SAR 30.36

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-18.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 SAR 48.76

$11.61 SAR 43.59

11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-21.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-20.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 SAR 4.52

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.05

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.63 SAR 9.86

9.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.64 SAR 6.17

14.63%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$1.89 SAR 7.10

12.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 SAR 29.60

$6.59 SAR 24.74

19.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$0.78 SAR 2.95

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.78 SAR 146

$67.3 SAR 253

-42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-10.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.96 SAR 52.4

$6.81 SAR 25.57

104.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-6.35%

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

$42.1K SAR 158.2K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-35.73%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-3.59%

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

$99.9 SAR 375

$98.6 SAR 370

1.32%

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

$23.70 SAR 89.0

$32.61 SAR 122

-27.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 SAR 226

$70.2 SAR 264

-14.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.92 SAR 165

$79.9 SAR 300

-45.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.59 SAR 145

$36.21 SAR 136

6.57%

Cinema Ticket

$13.48 SAR 50.6

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-11.02%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$600 SAR 2,253

-42.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,243 SAR 23.4K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

-24.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 SAR 189

$63.5 SAR 238

-20.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$81.4 SAR 306

-25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 SAR 358

$97.5 SAR 366

-2.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 379

$92.5 SAR 347

9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 SAR 2,196

$620 SAR 2,328

-5.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 SAR 1,337

$499 SAR 1,872

-28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,415

$1,184 SAR 4,445

-68.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 SAR 2,133

$847 SAR 3,180

-32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 SAR 9,909

$2,411 SAR 9,054

9.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,273 SAR 4,779

$1,423 SAR 5,342

-10.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 SAR 6,536

$1,843 SAR 6,920

-5.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Ar-rass: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $585 in Ar-rass and $620 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 6% 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: $37.00 in Ar-rass vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $216 per month, with Ar-rass 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

Ar-rass vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ar-rass wins on cost – living expenses run 28% 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.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Al Khobar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $585 in Ar-rass versus $620 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ar-rass runs roughly 73% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $346 in Ar-rass versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,096 in Ar-rass versus $1,402 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, Ar-rass and Al Khobar 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 28% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.