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

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

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

Living in Arar costs roughly 8% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 SAR 25.39

$6.47 SAR 24.31

4.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.23 SAR 166

$53.2 SAR 200

-16.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SAR 29.60

$7.78 SAR 29.21

1.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-13.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-31.06%

Cappuccino

$3.75 SAR 14.09

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-14.38%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.98

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-22.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-28.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.22

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.37

$6.64 SAR 24.92

5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 SAR 28.97

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-13.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.37

$12.73 SAR 47.82

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-6.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.57 SAR 5.90

3.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.62

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-13.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.48

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.95 SAR 11.09

$2.61 SAR 9.82

13.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.42 SAR 5.34

20.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$1.98 SAR 7.43

6.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 SAR 25.71

$6.62 SAR 24.86

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.96 SAR 3.60

14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.08 SAR 151

$61.6 SAR 231

-34.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$2.23 SAR 8.38

17.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.31 SAR 4.93

41.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$6.79 SAR 25.48

98.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-9.23%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.1K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

24.28%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-2.82%

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

$106 SAR 398

$122 SAR 458

-13.05%

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

$33.94 SAR 127

$34.21 SAR 128

-0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 SAR 282

$81.4 SAR 306

-7.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$106 SAR 400

-18.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.11 SAR 136

$36.66 SAR 138

-1.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 SAR 59.3

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-7.83%

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

$352 SAR 1,322

$301 SAR 1,129

17.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,960 SAR 26.1K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

-8.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 SAR 220

$63.6 SAR 239

-7.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$69.1 SAR 259

-12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 SAR 298

$100.0 SAR 375

-20.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$78.0 SAR 293

5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,654

$430 SAR 1,615

2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,439

$394 SAR 1,479

-2.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$858 SAR 3,224

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-18.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 SAR 2,298

$800 SAR 3,004

-23.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,099 SAR 7,883

$2,385 SAR 8,955

-11.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,269 SAR 4,765

$1,459 SAR 5,479

-13.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Arar and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Arar vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 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 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 $1,820 in Arar and $1,985 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: $440 in Arar versus $430 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $352 in Arar versus $301 in Al Khobar. 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, 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.