Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Riyadh Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Riyadh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,221 per month in Arar vs $1,739 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,863 per month in Arar vs $2,521 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in Arar vs $3,304 in Riyadh, rent included.

Arar is about 30% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arar sits 9% below the global median, while Riyadh is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-16.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 SAR 169

$53.0 SAR 199

-15.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.80

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-2.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.71 SAR 6.41

1.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

$2.23 SAR 8.37

-21.08%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.04

$4.09 SAR 15.34

-8.56%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$0.71 SAR 2.66

9.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.28 SAR 4.79

-21.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.35 SAR 8.83

1.70%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-10.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 25.95

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-19.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 SAR 28.71

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-23.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 SAR 48.65

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-11.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.50

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-3.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-9.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.53 SAR 5.73

1.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.29 SAR 4.82

-3.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.47 SAR 5.50

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.45 SAR 5.44

-15.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.53 SAR 1.99

3.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-61.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.71 SAR 6.42

1.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-13.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SAR 26.87

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-5.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.09 SAR 4.09

0.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.09 SAR 150

$36.73 SAR 138

9.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-17.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-1.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.36

1.59%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-22.13%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-6.28%

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

$103 SAR 388

$104 SAR 391

-0.83%

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

$34.41 SAR 129

$34.25 SAR 129

0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$77.0 SAR 289

-1.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 SAR 327

$105 SAR 394

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.10 SAR 132

$58.3 SAR 219

-39.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$16.17 SAR 60.7

-3.77%

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

$358 SAR 1,344

$457 SAR 1,716

-21.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-28.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$59.5 SAR 223

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$64.1 SAR 241

-4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 SAR 296

$107 SAR 400

-26.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$100 SAR 376

-17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 SAR 1,657

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-58.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,427

$841 SAR 3,158

-54.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,228

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,312

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-43.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 SAR 7,944

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-31.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 SAR 4,876

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-32.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

5.31

-16.76%

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

Last update for Arar: May 30, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Arar versus $1,072 in Riyadh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Arar versus $53.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $226 – making Arar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,221 in Arar, $1,739 in Riyadh – roughly 42% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,832 per month in Arar and $2,608 in Riyadh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $358 per month in Arar and $457 in Riyadh. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Riyadh at $1,739. In Arar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Riyadh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,221 in Arar to $1,739 in Riyadh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arar. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.