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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,163 per month in Arima vs $1,218 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Arima vs $1,846 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,687 per month in Arima vs $2,474 in Jeddah, rent included.

Arima is about 5% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Arima 13% lower, Jeddah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.03 TTD 60.8

$6.51 SAR 24.46

38.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 TTD 490

$39.65 SAR 149

83.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 TTD 50.6

$7.80 SAR 29.29

-3.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$2.39 TTD 16.12

$3.78 SAR 14.20

-36.77%

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

$0.94 TTD 6.36

$0.70 SAR 2.64

34.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 TTD 5.07

$0.25 SAR 0.94

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 TTD 10.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.51

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 TTD 15.31

$1.68 SAR 6.32

35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 TTD 15.96

$0.94 SAR 3.53

152.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 TTD 15.29

$2.23 SAR 8.38

1.79%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.98

$2.63 SAR 9.88

63.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 TTD 42.12

$7.42 SAR 27.86

-15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.83 TTD 39.27

$7.77 SAR 29.19

-24.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.17

$12.38 SAR 46.51

-65.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 TTD 38.18

$2.18 SAR 8.19

159.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 TTD 13.94

$1.57 SAR 5.89

31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.45

$1.54 SAR 5.80

183.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.37 TTD 29.48

$1.58 SAR 5.94

176.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 TTD 6.73

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-24.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 TTD 5.65

$1.25 SAR 4.68

-32.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 TTD 9.83

$1.10 SAR 4.15

32.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 TTD 7.72

$0.55 SAR 2.07

107.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 TTD 28.92

$6.79 SAR 25.51

-36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.35 TTD 130

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 TTD 12.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 TTD 18.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 TTD 5.31

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-39.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 TTD 6.19

$3.17 SAR 11.90

-70.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 TTD 4.89

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-61.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.64 TTD 98.7

$15.04 SAR 56.5

-2.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 TTD 6.33

$0.60 SAR 2.24

56.67%

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

$27.3K TTD 183.7K

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

3.13%

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

$27.7K TTD 186.4K

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

29.78%

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

$81.5 TTD 549

$108 SAR 406

-24.60%

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

$43.65 TTD 294

$32.30 SAR 121

35.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 TTD 422

$69.6 SAR 261

-9.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.80 TTD 322

$91.1 SAR 342

-47.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 TTD 34.98

$13.21 SAR 49.62

-60.71%

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

$131 TTD 881

$407 SAR 1,527

-67.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,074 TTD 47.7K

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

10.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 TTD 345

$62.7 SAR 236

-18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 TTD 182

$57.9 SAR 217

-53.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 859

$94.9 SAR 356

34.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 TTD 505

$83.8 SAR 315

-10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 TTD 3,267

$507 SAR 1,903

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,389

$384 SAR 1,442

-7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 TTD 5,680

$904 SAR 3,395

-6.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 TTD 4,763

$601 SAR 2,256

17.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,813

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 TTD 8,127

$1,660 SAR 6,233

-27.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

-33.33%

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

Last update for Arima: July 12, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Arima versus $507 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 38% 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 $73.0 in Arima versus $40.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 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 5% 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 $1,745 per month in Arima and $1,827 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 $1,163 in Arima and $1,218 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $131 per month in Arima and $407 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 $1,163, than in Jeddah at $1,218. 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.