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: $1,174 in Ar-rass versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,802 in Ar-rass versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,431 in Ar-rass versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Ar-rass costs roughly 12% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ar-rass is 12% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 SAR 24.71

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-3.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.89 SAR 165

$54.0 SAR 203

-18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.80

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-3.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-10.61%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-35.19%

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.87

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-13.38%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.97

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-17.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$1.69 SAR 6.34

37.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-24.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.69

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-34.91%

Eggs

$3.62 SAR 13.59

$2.88 SAR 10.81

25.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.62

$6.94 SAR 26.05

-1.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 SAR 27.80

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-18.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 SAR 49.35

$12.61 SAR 47.34

4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-19.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.41 SAR 5.31

-12.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.76

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-26.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 9.03

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-11.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.46 SAR 5.48

17.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$1.88 SAR 7.04

12.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.40

$6.51 SAR 24.45

-4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.92 SAR 3.44

15.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$60.1 SAR 226

-33.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$2.26 SAR 8.48

17.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.35 SAR 5.06

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$6.60 SAR 24.78

99.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-10.77%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

23.76%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-2.32%

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

$107 SAR 403

$124 SAR 466

-13.38%

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

$33.12 SAR 124

$34.51 SAR 130

-4.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 SAR 273

$80.7 SAR 303

-9.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 SAR 169

$109 SAR 410

-58.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.22 SAR 132

$36.80 SAR 138

-4.29%

Cinema Ticket

$15.83 SAR 59.5

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-8.81%

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

$355 SAR 1,334

$306 SAR 1,147

16.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,847 SAR 25.7K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-9.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.29 SAR 79.9

$63.4 SAR 238

-66.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$69.8 SAR 262

-14.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 SAR 297

$100 SAR 376

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 SAR 312

$80.4 SAR 302

3.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,641

$433 SAR 1,628

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 SAR 1,450

$401 SAR 1,505

-3.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$1,059 SAR 3,978

-63.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$813 SAR 3,054

-24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,580

$2,442 SAR 9,170

4.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,264 SAR 4,747

$1,423 SAR 5,344

-11.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,700 SAR 6,384

$1,856 SAR 6,971

-8.43%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Ar-rass and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 9% 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 $54.0 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 13% 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 9% 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: $437 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $355 in Ar-rass versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,174 in Ar-rass versus $1,332 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 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.