Cost of Living Comparison Between Piscataway, NJ and AL Kharj Cost of Living Comparison Between Piscataway, NJ and AL Kharj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,135 per month in Piscataway, NJ vs $951 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,468 per month in Piscataway, NJ vs $1,473 in AL Kharj, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,802 per month in Piscataway, NJ vs $1,996 in AL Kharj, rent included.

Piscataway, NJ costs about 230% more than AL Kharj, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Piscataway, NJ sits 129% above the global median, while AL Kharj is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 $15.21

$4.68 SAR 17.59

225.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$26.80 SAR 101

202.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.21 $13.21

$7.91 SAR 29.71

67.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Cappuccino

$4.40 $4.40

$3.07 SAR 11.53

43.32%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.84 SAR 3.15

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.13 SAR 0.48

1069.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.26 SAR 0.97

1303.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.32 SAR 8.73

46.98%

Eggs

$3.55 $3.55

$2.07 SAR 7.78

71.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.00 $11.00

$9.96 SAR 37.40

10.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$4.97 SAR 18.66

105.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 $13.58

$13.58 SAR 51.0

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.76 SAR 6.59

110.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.30 SAR 4.90

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.22 SAR 4.59

172.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.34 SAR 5.03

232.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.04 SAR 3.91

83.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.10 SAR 4.12

100.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.55 SAR 2.05

254.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.59 SAR 2.21

161.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.40 $17.40

$6.59 SAR 24.74

164.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.70 $14.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.63 $29.63

$22.75 SAR 85.4

30.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.70 SAR 10.15

13.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.55 SAR 2.05

303.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.06 $42.06

$13.40 SAR 50.3

213.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.59 SAR 2.22

49.15%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

-0.09%

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

$20.1K $20.1K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-8.18%

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

$169 $169

$102 SAR 384

65.18%

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

$51.0 $51.0

$27.14 SAR 102

87.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.96 $49.96

$51.5 SAR 193

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 $41.14

$73.8 SAR 277

-44.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.56 SAR 152

Cinema Ticket

$15.12 $15.12

$13.41 SAR 50.4

12.75%

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

$2,003 $2,003

$283 SAR 1,064

607.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K $16.3K

$3,710 SAR 13.9K

338.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.74 $39.74

$59.4 SAR 223

-33.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 $40.33

$53.1 SAR 199

-24.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$46.69 SAR 175

71.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 $93.7

$79.7 SAR 299

17.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,118 $2,118

$676 SAR 2,539

213.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$260 SAR 976

693.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,288 $3,288

$591 SAR 2,219

456.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,342 $3,342

$467 SAR 1,756

614.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,795 $2,795

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,359 $2,359

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,616 $4,616

$2,869 SAR 10.8K

60.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.54

-3.79%

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

Last update for Piscataway, NJ: September 13, 2026

Last update for AL Kharj: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,118 in Piscataway, NJ versus $676 in AL Kharj. 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 61% higher in Piscataway, NJ, 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 $81.0 in Piscataway, NJ versus $27.00 in AL Kharj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $173 – making AL Kharj the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Piscataway, NJ vs AL Kharj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,135 in Piscataway, NJ, $951 in AL Kharj – roughly 230% apart. Piscataway, NJ costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,702 per month in Piscataway, NJ and $1,426 in AL Kharj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,003 per month in Piscataway, NJ and $283 in AL Kharj. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% more in Piscataway, NJ, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in AL Kharj, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Piscataway, NJ at $3,135. In AL Kharj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Piscataway, NJ it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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