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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Arima vs $1,202 in Jeddah, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Arima vs $1,858 in Jeddah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,653 per month in Arima vs $2,514 in Jeddah, rent included.

Arima is about 1% cheaper than Jeddah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Arima and Jeddah are more affordable than the global median – Arima 12% lower, Jeddah 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 TTD 60.0

$6.54 SAR 24.53

37.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 TTD 486

$40.72 SAR 153

78.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 TTD 49.03

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-10.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cappuccino

$2.42 TTD 16.24

$3.58 SAR 13.44

-32.40%

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

$0.96 TTD 6.46

$0.70 SAR 2.64

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 TTD 4.73

$0.25 SAR 0.94

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 TTD 10.99

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 TTD 19.38

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 TTD 15.55

$1.74 SAR 6.51

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 TTD 15.17

$0.96 SAR 3.58

135.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 TTD 15.09

$2.30 SAR 8.61

-2.17%

Eggs

$4.24 TTD 28.37

$2.75 SAR 10.34

54.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 TTD 39.58

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-20.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 TTD 38.97

$7.64 SAR 28.69

-23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 TTD 29.54

$12.34 SAR 46.33

-64.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.97 TTD 40.00

$2.16 SAR 8.12

176.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 TTD 13.63

$1.57 SAR 5.90

29.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 TTD 28.53

$1.55 SAR 5.82

174.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 TTD 29.78

$1.54 SAR 5.78

188.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 TTD 6.97

$1.32 SAR 4.94

-21.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 TTD 5.27

$1.21 SAR 4.54

-34.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 TTD 10.09

$1.05 SAR 3.96

43.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 TTD 8.06

$0.60 SAR 2.23

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 TTD 28.97

$6.76 SAR 25.36

-36.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.50 TTD 124

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 TTD 13.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 TTD 5.34

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 TTD 6.58

$3.23 SAR 12.13

-69.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 TTD 4.76

$1.88 SAR 7.06

-62.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.94 TTD 100

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 TTD 6.20

$0.63 SAR 2.37

47.62%

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

$26.8K TTD 179.7K

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

-0.33%

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

$27.6K TTD 185.1K

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

28.96%

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

$81.4 TTD 545

$105 SAR 393

-22.33%

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

$44.96 TTD 301

$32.31 SAR 121

39.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.4 TTD 411

$70.1 SAR 263

-12.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.83 TTD 327

$90.9 SAR 341

-46.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

Cinema Ticket

$5.11 TTD 34.23

$13.12 SAR 49.25

-61.05%

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

$133 TTD 888

$400 SAR 1,500

-66.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,247 TTD 48.6K

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

12.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 TTD 351

$64.6 SAR 242

-18.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.74 TTD 179

$58.1 SAR 218

-53.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 TTD 848

$92.5 SAR 347

36.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.2 TTD 504

$84.4 SAR 317

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 TTD 3,183

$501 SAR 1,881

-5.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 TTD 2,376

$390 SAR 1,464

-9.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 TTD 5,736

$899 SAR 3,374

-4.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 TTD 4,828

$618 SAR 2,321

16.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,183 TTD 7,926

$1,657 SAR 6,218

-28.60%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Arima versus $501 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 40% 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 $41.00 in Jeddah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 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 1% 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 $1,777 per month in Arima and $1,803 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 $1,184 in Arima and $1,202 in Jeddah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $133 per month in Arima and $400 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 $1,184, than in Jeddah at $1,202. 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.