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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Arar vs $1,734 in Riyadh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Arar vs $2,582 in Riyadh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,407 per month in Arar vs $3,429 in Riyadh, rent included.

Arar is about 33% cheaper than Riyadh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arar sits 15% below the global median, while Riyadh is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 SAR 26.68

$7.79 SAR 29.24

-8.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.60 SAR 134

$64.8 SAR 243

-45.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 SAR 31.81

$8.87 SAR 33.31

-4.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-6.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-38.05%

Cappuccino

$3.46 SAR 12.99

$4.23 SAR 15.87

-18.20%

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

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$0.85 SAR 3.19

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.01

$0.32 SAR 1.22

-15.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$1.25 SAR 4.70

-12.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$2.45 SAR 9.21

-9.39%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.08

$3.19 SAR 11.98

-15.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 SAR 24.41

$9.69 SAR 36.38

-32.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 SAR 27.01

$9.95 SAR 37.36

-27.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 SAR 53.0

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-6.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$2.36 SAR 8.87

-42.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$1.73 SAR 6.51

2.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.20 SAR 4.50

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.43 SAR 5.37

-3.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 SAR 4.60

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-28.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.85

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-16.95%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.86

$7.75 SAR 29.11

-62.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-12.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.47 SAR 9.29

-12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SAR 26.89

$7.51 SAR 28.19

-4.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-10.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 SAR 145

$37.56 SAR 141

2.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

$3.28 SAR 12.33

-23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

$1.89 SAR 7.09

1.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.16 SAR 45.65

$13.13 SAR 49.32

-7.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.59 SAR 2.23

8.47%

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

$51.2K SAR 192.2K

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

42.66%

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

$19.5K SAR 73.3K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

-12.84%

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

$115 SAR 432

$97.0 SAR 364

18.65%

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

$30.25 SAR 114

$32.37 SAR 122

-6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$68.6 SAR 258

10.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.3 SAR 354

$89.7 SAR 337

5.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.93 SAR 142

$54.9 SAR 206

-30.96%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 SAR 44.67

$13.29 SAR 49.89

-10.53%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$533 SAR 2,000

-43.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 SAR 22.2K

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

-47.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 SAR 192

$58.9 SAR 221

-13.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$56.1 SAR 211

3.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 SAR 308

$106 SAR 398

-22.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 379

$104 SAR 392

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 SAR 2,283

$1,174 SAR 4,408

-48.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 SAR 1,181

$830 SAR 3,117

-62.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 SAR 2,972

$2,205 SAR 8,280

-64.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 SAR 2,220

$1,223 SAR 4,595

-51.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 SAR 7,979

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

-27.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 SAR 4,905

$1,962 SAR 7,367

-33.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.54

-1.26%

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

Last update for Arar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $608 in Arar versus $1,174 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 $36.00 in Arar versus $65.0 in Riyadh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $240 – 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: $1,168 in Arar, $1,734 in Riyadh – roughly 48% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,752 per month in Arar and $2,601 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 3% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Arar and $533 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 $1,168, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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 $1,168 in Arar to $1,734 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.