Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,198 in Arar versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,843 in Arar versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,488 in Arar versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Arar costs roughly 11% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arar is 11% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.15

$6.80 SAR 25.51

-1.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.18 SAR 166

$52.4 SAR 196

-15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.76

$7.81 SAR 29.27

1.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-16.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-35.16%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.02

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-11.58%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.96

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.52

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-29.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-3.75%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 SAR 25.68

$6.88 SAR 25.80

-0.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.45 SAR 27.92

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-17.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.94

$12.37 SAR 46.39

5.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-21.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-2.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.61

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-23.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-11.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.47 SAR 5.50

20.41%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.87 SAR 7.02

11.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.06 SAR 26.48

$6.59 SAR 24.71

7.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$0.91 SAR 3.40

18.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.66 SAR 152

$59.5 SAR 223

-31.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 SAR 9.91

$2.21 SAR 8.29

19.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

$1.31 SAR 4.90

46.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.17

$6.69 SAR 25.08

95.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.63 SAR 2.38

1.59%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

26.06%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-4.91%

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

$107 SAR 400

$123 SAR 461

-13.14%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$34.30 SAR 129

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$80.9 SAR 303

-4.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.2 SAR 334

$109 SAR 409

-18.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$36.07 SAR 135

0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-9.10%

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

$356 SAR 1,335

$306 SAR 1,147

16.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,029 SAR 26.4K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

-6.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 223

$62.9 SAR 236

-5.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 225

$68.8 SAR 258

-12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 SAR 298

$99.1 SAR 372

-19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.2 SAR 308

$79.1 SAR 297

3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 SAR 1,671

$437 SAR 1,639

1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,401

$394 SAR 1,479

-5.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,250

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 SAR 2,357

$788 SAR 2,955

-20.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,306 SAR 8,648

$2,411 SAR 9,040

-4.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 SAR 5,320

$1,432 SAR 5,370

-0.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

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 Arar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Arar and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Arar vs $52.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $216 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

Arar vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arar wins on cost – living expenses run 12% 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 $1,797 in Arar and $2,012 in Al Khobar 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: $446 in Arar versus $437 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Arar runs roughly 46% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $356 in Arar versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,198 in Arar versus $1,341 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, Arar 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 Arar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.