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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,734 per month in Riyadh vs $1,168 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Riyadh vs $1,788 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Riyadh vs $2,407 in Arar, rent included.

Riyadh costs about 48% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Riyadh sits 26% above the global median, while Arar is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$7.10 SAR 26.68

9.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$35.60 SAR 134

81.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$8.47 SAR 31.81

4.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.87 SAR 7.04

6.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$1.84 SAR 6.92

61.41%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.46 SAR 12.99

22.25%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$0.95 SAR 3.58

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.27 SAR 1.01

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.49 SAR 5.59

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.10 SAR 4.13

13.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.22 SAR 8.34

10.36%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.69 SAR 10.08

18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$6.50 SAR 24.41

49.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$7.19 SAR 27.01

38.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$14.11 SAR 53.0

7.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.35 SAR 8.82

11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.78 SAR 6.70

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.36 SAR 5.12

73.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-2.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.02 SAR 3.84

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.38 SAR 5.20

3.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.22 SAR 4.60

40.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.49 SAR 1.85

20.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$2.89 SAR 10.86

168.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.61 SAR 6.04

14.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$2.17 SAR 8.13

13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$7.16 SAR 26.89

4.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.98 SAR 3.69

11.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$38.62 SAR 145

-2.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$2.51 SAR 9.42

30.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$1.91 SAR 7.18

-1.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$12.16 SAR 45.65

7.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-7.81%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$51.2K SAR 192.2K

-29.90%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$19.5K SAR 73.3K

14.73%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$115 SAR 432

-15.72%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$30.25 SAR 114

7.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$75.5 SAR 284

-9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$94.3 SAR 354

-4.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$37.93 SAR 142

44.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$11.89 SAR 44.67

11.77%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$304 SAR 1,140

75.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$5,917 SAR 22.2K

91.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$51.2 SAR 192

14.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$57.9 SAR 217

-3.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$82.1 SAR 308

28.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$101 SAR 379

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$608 SAR 2,283

93.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$314 SAR 1,181

164.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$791 SAR 2,972

178.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$591 SAR 2,220

106.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,125 SAR 7,979

38.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,306 SAR 4,905

50.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.47

1.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Arar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,174 in Riyadh versus $608 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 $65.0 in Riyadh versus $36.00 in Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 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: $1,734 in Riyadh, $1,168 in Arar – roughly 48% apart. Riyadh costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,601 per month in Riyadh and $1,752 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 3% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $533 per month in Riyadh and $304 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 $1,168, than in Riyadh at $1,734. 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 $1,168 in Arar to $1,734 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.