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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,198 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $1,849 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $2,501 in Arar, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 2% more than Arar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Jeddah and Arar are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Arar 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$6.54 SAR 24.55

-0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$44.74 SAR 168

-11.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$7.91 SAR 29.69

-1.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.77 SAR 6.65

22.03%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$1.75 SAR 6.56

20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$3.70 SAR 13.88

2.16%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.74 SAR 2.77

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.29 SAR 1.07

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.62 SAR 6.09

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.95 SAR 3.57

-1.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-7.08%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.48 SAR 9.31

6.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$6.83 SAR 25.64

8.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$7.35 SAR 27.59

5.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.51

$12.96 SAR 48.67

-4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.17 SAR 8.16

0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.56 SAR 5.88

1.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.29 SAR 4.84

3.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.26 SAR 4.74

-0.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.24 SAR 4.65

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

$2.97 SAR 11.17

41.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.75 SAR 6.58

8.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$2.04 SAR 7.64

22.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$6.99 SAR 26.25

-2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.04 SAR 3.91

25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$40.26 SAR 151

-0.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.90

$2.61 SAR 9.80

21.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-0.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$13.54 SAR 50.9

11.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-4.76%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-0.69%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

-3.35%

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

$108 SAR 406

$106 SAR 397

2.36%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$33.50 SAR 126

-3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$75.5 SAR 283

-7.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$88.6 SAR 333

2.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$35.68 SAR 134

26.51%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$15.91 SAR 59.8

-16.97%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$351 SAR 1,318

15.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

-7.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 236

$59.4 SAR 223

5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$59.8 SAR 225

-3.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$77.6 SAR 292

22.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$83.0 SAR 312

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$433 SAR 1,628

16.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$383 SAR 1,439

0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$844 SAR 3,170

7.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$627 SAR 2,355

-4.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$2,082 SAR 7,817

-20.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,813

$1,467 SAR 5,507

-30.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

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 13, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $433 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 $40.00 in Jeddah versus $45.00 in Arar. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Jeddah vs $195 in Arar – so Arar 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: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,198 in Arar – roughly 2% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $1,797 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 1% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $407 per month in Jeddah and $351 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 $1,198, than in Jeddah at $1,218. 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.