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: $1,180 in Arar versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,796 in Arar versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,412 in Arar versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Arar costs roughly 18% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arar is 14% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.81

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-3.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 SAR 141

$60.2 SAR 226

-37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.84

$7.83 SAR 29.42

1.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-30.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-22.31%

Cappuccino

$3.46 SAR 13.00

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-22.60%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-16.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.63 SAR 6.10

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-11.07%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 SAR 28.15

$7.20 SAR 27.04

4.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 SAR 30.89

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-17.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 SAR 48.47

$11.85 SAR 44.49

8.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-24.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-8.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-30.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.59 SAR 2.20

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.61 SAR 9.82

10.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.59 SAR 5.97

9.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.04

$1.93 SAR 7.23

10.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.43

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-4.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.80 SAR 3.02

32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.08 SAR 136

$68.8 SAR 258

-47.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 SAR 10.68

$3.35 SAR 12.59

-15.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-33.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.05 SAR 49.01

$6.69 SAR 25.14

95.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.60 SAR 2.27

5.00%

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

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-33.34%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-3.10%

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

$99.4 SAR 373

$98.7 SAR 371

0.73%

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

$32.81 SAR 123

$32.44 SAR 122

1.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$68.3 SAR 257

-2.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 SAR 317

$82.1 SAR 308

2.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.46 SAR 141

$36.49 SAR 137

2.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.63

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-12.23%

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

$338 SAR 1,271

$611 SAR 2,294

-44.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-20.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 SAR 192

$63.4 SAR 238

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 215

$81.7 SAR 307

-30.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 SAR 360

$97.2 SAR 365

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 SAR 334

$94.5 SAR 355

-5.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 SAR 2,169

$642 SAR 2,413

-10.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,287

$512 SAR 1,921

-33.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,246

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-26.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,089

$852 SAR 3,201

-34.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,381 SAR 8,943

$2,432 SAR 9,135

-2.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 SAR 5,187

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-5.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

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 Arar: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $577 in Arar and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Arar vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $219 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 21% 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 $1,770 in Arar and $2,151 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: $577 in Arar versus $642 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 91% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $338 in Arar versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,180 in Arar versus $1,434 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 21% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.