Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dhahran and Jonesboro, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhahran: $1,317 a month against $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

64

Cost of Living Index in Dhahran
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Dhahran Living Index
104

Cost of Living Index in Jonesboro, AR
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Jonesboro, AR Living Index

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Dhahran

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,317

/mo nomad

Jonesboro, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$2,110

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dhahran and in Jonesboro, AR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dhahran and in Jonesboro, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,317 per month in Dhahran vs $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR, rent included.

Dhahran $1,317
Jonesboro, AR $2,110

A couple spends around $1,671 per month in Dhahran vs $2,960 in Jonesboro, AR, rent included.

Dhahran $1,671
Jonesboro, AR $2,960

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Dhahran vs $3,809 in Jonesboro, AR, rent included.

Dhahran $2,026
Jonesboro, AR $3,809

Dhahran is about 38% cheaper than Jonesboro, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Dhahran sits 2% below the global median, while Jonesboro, AR is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.90

$27.13 $27.13

-80.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.17 SAR 147

$60.7 $60.7

-35.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 SAR 23.81

$10.45 $10.45

-39.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 SAR 6.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$4.01 SAR 15.03

$4.93 $4.93

-18.66%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.76

$2.21 $2.21

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.70

$1.80 $1.80

-89.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 $4.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.65 $6.65

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.13 $1.13

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.62

$3.36 $3.36

-71.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$2.14 $2.14

-7.94%

Eggs

$3.87 SAR 14.54

$3.61 $3.61

7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 SAR 32.23

$8.87 $8.87

-3.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.92 SAR 40.97

$8.76 $8.76

24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 SAR 52.1

$11.54 $11.54

20.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$4.28 $4.28

-49.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.08 $1.08

28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

$2.96 $2.96

-39.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.74

$3.86 $3.86

-53.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.71 $1.71

-12.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$2.46 $2.46

-60.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.76 $1.76

11.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$2.00 $2.00

-57.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 SAR 20.92

$8.10 $8.10

-31.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 $13.55

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$1.13 $1.13

-26.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.75 $29.75

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$3.04 $3.04

-55.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.25 SAR 12.21

$1.45 $1.45

124.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.52 SAR 35.73

$28.47 $28.47

-66.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.84 $0.84

-22.62%

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

$53.2K SAR 199.7K

$32.1K $32.1K

65.87%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$25.8K $25.8K

-19.89%

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

$59.0 SAR 221

$221 $221

-73.25%

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

$42.19 SAR 158

$45.73 $45.73

-7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.9 SAR 244

$71.6 $71.6

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$40.18 $40.18

384.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$93.5 SAR 351

$10.90 $10.90

757.98%

Cinema Ticket

$10.56 SAR 39.62

$12.18 $12.18

-13.30%

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

$65.3 SAR 245

$763 $763

-91.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K SAR 49.8K

$8,367 $8,367

58.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 SAR 190

$63.4 $63.4

-20.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.79 SAR 157

$36.22 $36.22

15.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 SAR 289

$78.9 $78.9

-2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 SAR 339

$107 $107

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$1,134 $1,134

-68.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 SAR 1,700

$860 $860

-47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,436 $1,436

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,140 $1,140

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,567 $1,567

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,785 SAR 10.5K

$3,356 $3,356

-17.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

6.36

-29.25%

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

Last update for Dhahran: October 11, 2026

Last update for Jonesboro, AR: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dhahran

$453 34.4%

Jonesboro, AR

$860 40.7% 89.7% $406

Groceries & Markets

Dhahran

$231 17.6%

Jonesboro, AR

$316 15% 36.9% $85

Sport & Entertainment

Dhahran

$216 16.4%

Jonesboro, AR

$65 3.1% 70.1% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dhahran

$166 12.6%

Jonesboro, AR

$338 16% 103% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Dhahran

$117 8.9%

Jonesboro, AR

$129 6.1% 10% $12

Eating Out

Dhahran

$113 8.6%

Jonesboro, AR

$359 17% 217% $245

Getting Around

Dhahran

$21 * 1.6%

Jonesboro, AR

$45 2.1% 113% $24

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Dhahran versus $1,134 in Jonesboro, AR. 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 21% higher in Jonesboro, AR, 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 $39.00 in Dhahran versus $61.0 in Jonesboro, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $316 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Dhahran

🇺🇸 Jonesboro, AR

🕒 Local time

11:42 11:42 AM

03:42 3:42 AM

8 h behind Dhahran

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

120,521

78,576

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to SAR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Dhahran Jonesboro, AR 11,980 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Dhahran
Jonesboro, AR

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Dhahran vs Jonesboro, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jonesboro, AR costs about 60% more than Dhahran, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,976 per month in Dhahran and $3,165 in Jonesboro, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhahran, 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 $1,317 in Dhahran and $2,110 in Jonesboro, AR. That's a gap of about 60%.

Kindergarten costs $65.3 per month in Dhahran and $763 in Jonesboro, AR. 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 Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,317, than in Jonesboro, AR at $2,110. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jonesboro, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhahran – 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 Dhahran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jonesboro, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.