Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,203 in Jeddah versus $1,158 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,864 in Jeddah versus $1,781 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Jeddah versus $2,404 in Ar-rass.

Living in Jeddah is roughly 4% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jeddah 10% lower, Ar-rass 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 SAR 24.68

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-3.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.91 SAR 150

$45.30 SAR 170

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.44

$8.05 SAR 30.25

0.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.71 SAR 6.42

26.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.75 SAR 6.56

23.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 SAR 13.61

$3.71 SAR 13.95

-2.43%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.87

$0.73 SAR 2.76

5.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-31.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.67

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$1.51 SAR 5.69

49.67%

Eggs

$2.66 SAR 9.98

$3.61 SAR 13.54

-26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$7.00 SAR 26.28

5.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 SAR 28.13

$7.51 SAR 28.21

-0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 SAR 47.02

$12.82 SAR 48.15

-2.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.25 SAR 8.46

-2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.57 SAR 5.88

5.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-4.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.29 SAR 4.85

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$1.27 SAR 4.78

-3.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.18 SAR 4.41

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.55 SAR 2.06

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.81

$3.18 SAR 11.96

32.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$1.70 SAR 6.38

16.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.08 SAR 7.80

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.45

$6.35 SAR 23.85

2.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.04 SAR 3.92

26.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.04 SAR 150

$40.46 SAR 152

-1.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.92

$2.69 SAR 10.10

17.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$1.84 SAR 6.92

0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 SAR 56.0

$13.20 SAR 49.57

12.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.62 SAR 2.34

1.61%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

$26.4K SAR 99.3K

0.07%

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

$21.8K SAR 81.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.4K

-1.89%

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

$108 SAR 407

$104 SAR 389

4.69%

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

$31.95 SAR 120

$33.38 SAR 125

-4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$73.7 SAR 277

-4.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.5 SAR 340

$43.82 SAR 165

106.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.39 SAR 174

$36.06 SAR 135

28.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.90

$15.71 SAR 59.0

-15.40%

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

$410 SAR 1,538

$358 SAR 1,343

14.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,547 SAR 24.6K

$7,014 SAR 26.3K

-6.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$21.03 SAR 79.0

199.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$61.3 SAR 230

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 SAR 359

$79.7 SAR 299

19.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 SAR 311

$83.2 SAR 312

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 SAR 1,898

$445 SAR 1,672

13.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,427

$387 SAR 1,453

-1.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 SAR 3,485

$388 SAR 1,458

139.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,315

$619 SAR 2,324

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,747 SAR 6,562

$2,547 SAR 9,564

-31.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,117 SAR 4,195

$1,491 SAR 5,598

-25.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,624 SAR 6,097

$1,706 SAR 6,407

-4.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

4.42

1.81%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Jeddah and $445 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jeddah vs $45.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $205 per month, with Jeddah cheaper across the board.

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

Jeddah vs Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jeddah and Ar-rass differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,203 vs $1,158 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Ar-rass. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Jeddah versus $445 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $410 in Jeddah versus $358 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Jeddah pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,158 in Ar-rass versus $1,203 in Jeddah, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Jeddah. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Jeddah and Ar-rass are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.