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: $1,169 in Ar-rass versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Ar-rass versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,372 in Ar-rass versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 13% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rass is 13% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 SAR 24.58

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.10 SAR 166

$52.6 SAR 197

-16.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.52

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-2.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-15.84%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-32.72%

Cappuccino

$3.62 SAR 13.57

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-16.20%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.69 SAR 6.34

41.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-26.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-33.48%

Eggs

$3.61 SAR 13.56

$2.91 SAR 10.91

24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 SAR 25.40

$6.59 SAR 24.72

2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.45 SAR 27.96

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-18.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 SAR 48.93

$12.70 SAR 47.65

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-17.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-21.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-32.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-4.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.80 SAR 10.51

$2.68 SAR 10.05

4.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.42 SAR 5.34

22.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.97 SAR 7.39

5.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 SAR 23.61

$6.75 SAR 25.35

-6.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.92 SAR 3.45

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.20 SAR 147

$61.6 SAR 231

-36.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.78

$2.25 SAR 8.44

16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.30 SAR 4.87

47.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.48 SAR 50.6

$6.59 SAR 24.74

104.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-1.67%

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

$27.0K SAR 101.4K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

27.73%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-0.31%

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

$104 SAR 390

$123 SAR 461

-15.23%

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

$33.90 SAR 127

$34.93 SAR 131

-2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 SAR 273

$80.1 SAR 301

-9.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.87 SAR 165

$107 SAR 400

-58.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.18 SAR 132

$36.08 SAR 135

-2.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.52 SAR 58.3

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-12.12%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$307 SAR 1,151

13.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,909 SAR 25.9K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-8.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.12 SAR 79.3

$63.8 SAR 239

-66.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$70.0 SAR 263

-12.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 SAR 298

$98.7 SAR 370

-19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 SAR 309

$80.8 SAR 303

1.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$433 SAR 1,624

2.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$397 SAR 1,489

-3.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,455

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-62.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 SAR 2,303

$790 SAR 2,965

-22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,559 SAR 9,604

$2,419 SAR 9,077

5.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,508 SAR 5,658

$1,457 SAR 5,468

3.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,728 SAR 6,485

$1,866 SAR 7,005

-7.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Ar-rass: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ar-rass and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 8% 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: $44.00 in Ar-rass vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $217 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 15% 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, Al Khobar earns 8% less. 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: $445 in Ar-rass versus $433 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 57% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $349 in Ar-rass versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,169 in Ar-rass versus $1,344 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 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.