Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Jeddah Cost of Living Comparison Between Arima and Jeddah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,286 per month in Arima vs $1,362 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,144 per month in Arima vs $2,108 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,002 per month in Arima vs $2,855 in Jeddah, rent included.

Arima is about 6% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Arima 6% lower, Jeddah 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.24 TTD 68.1

$6.69 SAR 25.13

53.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 TTD 495

$53.1 SAR 199

39.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 TTD 57.5

$8.16 SAR 30.64

5.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Cappuccino

$3.77 TTD 25.08

$3.54 SAR 13.28

6.50%

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

$1.03 TTD 6.88

$1.00 SAR 3.77

3.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 TTD 4.83

$0.24 SAR 0.89

204.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 TTD 12.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 TTD 19.19

Milk (1 liter)

$2.39 TTD 15.92

$1.71 SAR 6.42

39.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 TTD 15.83

$1.01 SAR 3.80

135.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 TTD 19.41

$2.20 SAR 8.27

32.73%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.59

$2.37 SAR 8.91

81.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.65 TTD 44.22

$6.36 SAR 23.86

4.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 TTD 44.34

$8.30 SAR 31.17

-19.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.91 TTD 59.3

$13.08 SAR 49.13

-31.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 37.65

$1.95 SAR 7.33

190.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 TTD 15.28

$1.66 SAR 6.25

38.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 TTD 24.62

$1.52 SAR 5.72

143.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 TTD 32.20

$1.66 SAR 6.23

191.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 TTD 8.86

$1.16 SAR 4.37

14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 TTD 6.16

$1.29 SAR 4.83

-27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 TTD 9.38

$1.06 SAR 3.98

33.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 TTD 6.47

$0.54 SAR 2.02

79.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 TTD 32.18

$6.45 SAR 24.21

-24.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.99 TTD 126

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 TTD 12.73

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 TTD 19.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 TTD 6.70

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-7.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 TTD 4.72

$3.14 SAR 11.80

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 TTD 5.02

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.55 TTD 96.8

$13.91 SAR 52.2

4.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 TTD 7.50

$0.60 SAR 2.25

88.33%

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

$27.2K TTD 181.3K

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

-43.19%

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

$35.8K TTD 238.3K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

68.12%

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

$89.5 TTD 595

$102 SAR 384

-12.54%

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

$45.03 TTD 300

$38.54 SAR 145

16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 TTD 380

$67.6 SAR 254

-15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 TTD 348

$87.1 SAR 327

-39.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

Cinema Ticket

$8.93 TTD 59.4

$11.87 SAR 44.56

-24.77%

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

$176 TTD 1,169

$728 SAR 2,733

-75.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K TTD 70.2K

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

-35.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 TTD 412

$68.9 SAR 259

-10.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 TTD 295

$59.8 SAR 224

-25.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 TTD 982

$96.4 SAR 362

53.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 TTD 481

$97.4 SAR 366

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 TTD 3,376

$773 SAR 2,904

-34.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 TTD 2,412

$531 SAR 1,994

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 TTD 6,850

$1,464 SAR 5,497

-29.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 TTD 5,783

$831 SAR 3,121

4.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 TTD 8,100

$1,664 SAR 6,249

-26.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

5.39

6.68%

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

Last update for Arima: September 1, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Arima versus $773 in Jeddah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Jeddah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Arima versus $53.0 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $196 – making Jeddah 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

Arima vs Jeddah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah costs about 6% more than Arima, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,929 per month in Arima and $2,043 in Jeddah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,286 in Arima and $1,362 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $176 per month in Arima and $728 in Jeddah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arima, where all-in costs run around $1,286, than in Jeddah at $1,362. In Arima it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arima – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Arima. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.