Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Riyadh and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,758 per month in Riyadh vs $1,198 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,475 per month in Riyadh vs $1,849 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in Riyadh vs $2,501 in Arar, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 47% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 32% above the global median, while Arar is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.19 SAR 30.76

$6.54 SAR 24.55

25.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$44.74 SAR 168

20.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 SAR 29.91

$7.91 SAR 29.69

0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-4.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$1.75 SAR 6.56

32.00%

Cappuccino

$3.98 SAR 14.94

$3.70 SAR 13.88

7.57%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$0.74 SAR 2.77

4.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.29 SAR 1.07

6.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.62 SAR 6.09

4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$0.95 SAR 3.57

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.85

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$2.48 SAR 9.31

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 SAR 31.84

$6.83 SAR 25.64

24.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SAR 37.17

$7.35 SAR 27.59

34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.50 SAR 54.4

$12.96 SAR 48.67

11.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.73

$2.17 SAR 8.16

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.57 SAR 5.91

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.68 SAR 6.32

11.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.56 SAR 5.88

1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-3.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.26 SAR 4.74

15.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.24 SAR 4.65

15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-11.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

$2.97 SAR 11.17

164.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.75 SAR 6.58

2.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

$2.04 SAR 7.64

18.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 SAR 27.83

$6.99 SAR 26.25

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$1.04 SAR 3.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.88 SAR 138

$40.26 SAR 151

-8.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 SAR 12.09

$2.61 SAR 9.80

23.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.93

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-1.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.19 SAR 49.53

$13.54 SAR 50.9

-2.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.37

1.59%

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

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

31.86%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

6.34%

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

$106 SAR 398

$106 SAR 397

0.26%

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

$35.14 SAR 132

$33.50 SAR 126

4.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.9 SAR 289

$75.5 SAR 283

1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 399

$88.6 SAR 333

20.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$59.9 SAR 225

$35.68 SAR 134

67.91%

Cinema Ticket

$16.22 SAR 60.9

$15.91 SAR 59.8

1.95%

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

$465 SAR 1,747

$351 SAR 1,318

32.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

38.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 SAR 219

$59.4 SAR 223

-1.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.1 SAR 244

$59.8 SAR 225

8.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$77.6 SAR 292

41.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 378

$83.0 SAR 312

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$433 SAR 1,628

155.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$843 SAR 3,164

$383 SAR 1,439

119.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,026 SAR 7,608

$844 SAR 3,170

139.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 SAR 4,233

$627 SAR 2,355

79.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

$2,082 SAR 7,817

39.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,938 SAR 7,279

$1,467 SAR 5,507

32.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,020 SAR 7,587

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

4.42

20.14%

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

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,110 in Riyadh 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 $54.0 in Riyadh versus $45.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $195 – making Arar 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

Riyadh vs Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,758 in Riyadh, $1,198 in Arar – roughly 47% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,637 per month in Riyadh 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 9% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Riyadh 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 Riyadh at $1,758. In Arar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riyadh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Riyadh has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,198 in Arar to $1,758 in Riyadh. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Riyadh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.