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: $1,392 in Jeddah versus $1,103 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,099 in Jeddah versus $1,669 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,805 in Jeddah versus $2,235 in Ar-rass.

Living in Jeddah is roughly 26% more expensive than in Ar-rass, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeddah is 2% above, Ar-rass is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.06

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-0.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$37.74 SAR 142

42.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 SAR 30.94

$7.77 SAR 29.17

6.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 SAR 9.65

$1.84 SAR 6.90

39.67%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.01 SAR 7.55

28.86%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$3.36 SAR 12.63

5.95%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.81 SAR 3.04

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.82 SAR 6.85

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$0.41 SAR 1.55

207.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.90 SAR 7.14

24.21%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$3.68 SAR 13.82

-36.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 SAR 24.58

$7.03 SAR 26.40

-6.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 SAR 31.39

$8.16 SAR 30.65

2.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 SAR 49.36

$13.12 SAR 49.27

0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$2.09 SAR 7.83

0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.77 SAR 6.66

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.56 SAR 5.86

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$1.61 SAR 6.05

4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.15 SAR 4.32

-0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-8.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 SAR 4.24

$1.15 SAR 4.32

-1.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.56 SAR 2.10

-3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.93

$2.79 SAR 10.47

51.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$1.82 SAR 6.83

1.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.33

$1.81 SAR 6.82

37.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$7.90 SAR 29.67

-15.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$1.22 SAR 4.57

-27.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 SAR 208

$35.86 SAR 135

54.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$2.96 SAR 11.11

6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.54 SAR 5.78

14.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 SAR 51.5

$11.37 SAR 42.69

20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-4.69%

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

$47.8K SAR 179.7K

$47.0K SAR 176.6K

1.75%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

1.65%

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

$104 SAR 392

$88.2 SAR 331

18.16%

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

$38.73 SAR 145

$24.45 SAR 91.8

58.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 SAR 248

$60.2 SAR 226

9.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 SAR 324

$44.03 SAR 165

96.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.48 SAR 156

$40.53 SAR 152

2.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 SAR 44.67

$13.08 SAR 49.14

-9.10%

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

$738 SAR 2,773

$349 SAR 1,310

111.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K SAR 58.9K

$7,401 SAR 27.8K

111.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 SAR 257

$50.6 SAR 190

35.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$58.2 SAR 219

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 SAR 367

$95.0 SAR 357

2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 SAR 371

$95.5 SAR 359

3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 SAR 2,935

$580 SAR 2,177

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,021

$339 SAR 1,273

58.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 SAR 4,990

$382 SAR 1,433

248.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 SAR 3,215

$591 SAR 2,220

44.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,772 SAR 6,655

$2,677 SAR 10.1K

-33.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 SAR 4,315

$1,276 SAR 4,793

-9.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 SAR 6,087

$1,706 SAR 6,407

-5.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.47

-1.46%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $781 in Jeddah and $580 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: $54.0 in Jeddah vs $38.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $199 per month, with Ar-rass 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,103 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: $781 in Jeddah versus $580 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $738 in Jeddah versus $349 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Jeddah. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,103 in Ar-rass versus $1,392 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 26% less than in Jeddah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.