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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,739 per month in Riyadh vs $1,221 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,521 per month in Riyadh vs $1,863 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,304 per month in Riyadh vs $2,506 in Arar, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 42% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 30% above the global median, while Arar is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.83 SAR 25.65

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.99 SAR 169

17.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$7.94 SAR 29.80

2.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-1.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$1.76 SAR 6.60

26.70%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.74 SAR 14.04

9.36%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$0.78 SAR 2.93

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.31 SAR 1.17

-6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.63 SAR 6.14

3.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.01 SAR 3.80

26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.45 SAR 9.18

11.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.92 SAR 25.95

24.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$7.65 SAR 28.71

30.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$12.96 SAR 48.65

12.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.27 SAR 8.50

3.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.58 SAR 5.94

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.68 SAR 6.32

10.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.55 SAR 5.82

-1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.24 SAR 4.65

4.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.26 SAR 4.74

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.23 SAR 4.60

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.55 SAR 2.05

-3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.61

$3.18 SAR 11.94

156.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-1.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.06 SAR 7.74

15.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$7.16 SAR 26.87

5.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-0.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$40.09 SAR 150

-8.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.70 SAR 10.14

21.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.82 SAR 6.81

1.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$13.28 SAR 49.85

1.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

28.41%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

6.70%

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

$104 SAR 391

$103 SAR 388

0.83%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$34.41 SAR 129

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$76.1 SAR 286

1.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$87.2 SAR 327

20.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$35.10 SAR 132

66.07%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$15.56 SAR 58.4

3.92%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$358 SAR 1,344

27.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

40.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$59.0 SAR 221

0.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$60.9 SAR 229

5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$78.9 SAR 296

35.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$82.3 SAR 309

21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,023

$442 SAR 1,657

142.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$380 SAR 1,427

121.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$860 SAR 3,228

135.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,092

$616 SAR 2,312

77.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,117 SAR 7,944

45.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,246

$1,299 SAR 4,876

48.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,452

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,072 in Riyadh versus $442 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 $53.0 in Riyadh versus $45.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $197 – 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: $1,739 in Riyadh, $1,221 in Arar – roughly 42% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,608 per month in Riyadh and $1,832 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 $457 per month in Riyadh and $358 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 $1,221, than in Riyadh at $1,739. 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 $1,221 in Arar to $1,739 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.