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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,198 per month in Arar vs $1,758 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Arar vs $2,475 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,501 per month in Arar vs $3,192 in Riyadh, rent included.

Arar is about 32% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arar sits 10% below the global median, while Riyadh is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.55

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-20.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.74 SAR 168

$53.9 SAR 202

-16.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$7.97 SAR 29.91

-0.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.69 SAR 6.33

4.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-24.24%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.88

$3.98 SAR 14.94

-7.04%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$0.77 SAR 2.88

-3.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.36 SAR 8.85

1.69%

Eggs

$2.48 SAR 9.31

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-7.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.64

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-19.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-25.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 SAR 48.67

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-10.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.32 SAR 8.73

-6.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-10.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.88

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.25 SAR 4.68

3.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.46 SAR 5.49

-13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.52 SAR 1.94

13.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-62.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-2.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.64

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-15.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 SAR 26.25

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.26 SAR 151

$36.88 SAR 138

9.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.80

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-18.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.84 SAR 6.93

1.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.9

$13.19 SAR 49.53

2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-24.16%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-5.96%

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

$106 SAR 397

$106 SAR 398

-0.26%

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

$33.50 SAR 126

$35.14 SAR 132

-4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$76.9 SAR 289

-1.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 SAR 333

$106 SAR 399

-16.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$59.9 SAR 225

-40.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 SAR 59.8

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-1.91%

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

$351 SAR 1,318

$465 SAR 1,747

-24.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$58.3 SAR 219

1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 225

$65.1 SAR 244

-8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 SAR 292

$110 SAR 413

-29.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 SAR 312

$101 SAR 378

-17.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,628

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-60.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,439

$843 SAR 3,164

-54.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SAR 3,170

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-58.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 SAR 2,355

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-44.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,082 SAR 7,817

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-28.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,507

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-24.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Arar versus $1,110 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 $54.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $225 – 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: $1,198 in Arar, $1,758 in Riyadh – roughly 47% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,797 per month in Arar and $2,637 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 $351 per month in Arar and $465 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 $1,198, than in Riyadh at $1,758. 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 $1,198 in Arar to $1,758 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.