Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Jeddah and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Jeddah vs $1,180 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Jeddah vs $1,796 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,805 per month in Jeddah vs $2,412 in Arar, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 18% more than Arar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Jeddah sits 2% above the global median, while Arar is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.06

$6.61 SAR 24.81

0.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$37.56 SAR 141

42.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 SAR 30.94

$7.94 SAR 29.84

3.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 SAR 9.65

$1.89 SAR 7.10

35.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.02 SAR 7.60

28.22%

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$3.46 SAR 13.00

2.89%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$0.83 SAR 3.11

19.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.26 SAR 0.98

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.69 SAR 6.33

4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$1.17 SAR 4.39

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$2.25 SAR 8.44

4.89%

Eggs

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.35 SAR 8.82

-1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.54 SAR 24.58

$7.49 SAR 28.15

-12.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.36 SAR 31.39

$8.22 SAR 30.89

1.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.14 SAR 49.36

$12.91 SAR 48.47

1.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$2.16 SAR 8.11

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$1.72 SAR 6.45

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$1.55 SAR 5.81

4.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.33

$1.66 SAR 6.24

1.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$1.19 SAR 4.46

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 SAR 4.24

$1.19 SAR 4.46

-5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.59 SAR 2.21

-8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.93

$2.88 SAR 10.81

47.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$1.74 SAR 6.52

6.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.33

$2.14 SAR 8.04

15.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.10

$6.50 SAR 24.43

2.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 SAR 208

$36.08 SAR 136

53.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$2.84 SAR 10.68

11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 SAR 51.5

$13.05 SAR 49.01

5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-3.17%

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

$47.8K SAR 179.7K

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

5.77%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

0.33%

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

$104 SAR 392

$99.4 SAR 373

4.90%

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

$38.73 SAR 145

$32.81 SAR 123

18.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 SAR 248

$66.9 SAR 251

-1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.3 SAR 324

$84.3 SAR 317

2.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.48 SAR 156

$37.46 SAR 141

10.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 SAR 44.67

$13.21 SAR 49.63

-9.99%

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

$738 SAR 2,773

$338 SAR 1,271

118.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K SAR 58.9K

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

135.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 SAR 257

$51.2 SAR 192

33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 SAR 225

$57.1 SAR 215

4.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 SAR 367

$96.0 SAR 360

1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 SAR 371

$88.8 SAR 334

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 SAR 2,935

$577 SAR 2,169

35.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 SAR 2,021

$343 SAR 1,287

57.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 SAR 4,990

$864 SAR 3,246

53.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$856 SAR 3,215

$556 SAR 2,089

53.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,772 SAR 6,655

$2,381 SAR 8,943

-25.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 SAR 4,315

$1,381 SAR 5,187

-16.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,621 SAR 6,087

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 Arar: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $781 in Jeddah versus $577 in Arar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Jeddah versus $38.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Jeddah vs $203 in Arar – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Jeddah, $1,180 in Arar – roughly 18% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Jeddah and $1,770 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $738 per month in Jeddah and $338 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Jeddah at $1,392. In Arar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Arar – 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 Arar. 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.