Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Abha and Al Khobar

For one person, living is cheaper in Abha: $1,062 a month against $1,487 in Al Khobar, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Abha
Learn more

Abha Living Index
72

Cost of Living Index in Al Khobar
Learn more

Al Khobar Living Index

Jump to prices

Abha

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,062

/mo nomad

Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,487

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Abha and in Al Khobar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Abha and in Al Khobar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Abha vs $1,487 in Al Khobar, rent included.

Abha $1,062
Al Khobar $1,487

A couple spends around $1,754 per month in Abha vs $2,252 in Al Khobar, rent included.

Abha $1,754
Al Khobar $2,252

A family of three spends $2,445 per month in Abha vs $3,016 in Al Khobar, rent included.

Abha $2,445
Al Khobar $3,016

Abha is about 29% cheaper than Al Khobar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Abha sits 22% below the global median, while Al Khobar is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.36 SAR 20.12

$6.81 SAR 25.57

-21.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 SAR 189

$59.9 SAR 225

-15.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 SAR 28.58

$8.00 SAR 30.01

-4.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.61 SAR 9.80

-37.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-48.86%

Cappuccino

$3.21 SAR 12.05

$4.43 SAR 16.64

-27.54%

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

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$0.87 SAR 3.26

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.40 SAR 1.52

-45.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.27 SAR 4.76

-53.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-20.87%

Eggs

$3.08 SAR 11.57

$2.45 SAR 9.21

25.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.36 SAR 16.35

$7.28 SAR 27.34

-40.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.46 SAR 27.99

$10.16 SAR 38.14

-26.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.35 SAR 68.8

$11.86 SAR 44.50

54.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

$2.66 SAR 9.97

-24.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.69 SAR 6.36

13.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-5.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.28

$1.40 SAR 5.27

57.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SAR 1.41

$1.75 SAR 6.55

-78.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 SAR 1.78

$0.58 SAR 2.18

-18.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.34 SAR 16.28

$2.73 SAR 10.26

58.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 SAR 4.37

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-29.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-20.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.39 SAR 35.22

$6.75 SAR 25.31

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.95 SAR 3.55

-15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.99 SAR 143

$61.9 SAR 232

-38.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.31

$2.90 SAR 10.88

3.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.64 SAR 9.89

3.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.48 SAR 50.6

$6.58 SAR 24.68

104.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

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

$29.2K SAR 109.4K

$67.8K SAR 254.5K

-57.01%

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

-8.59%

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

$87.8 SAR 329

$99.4 SAR 373

-11.65%

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

$37.47 SAR 141

$33.37 SAR 125

12.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 SAR 286

$68.9 SAR 259

10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.4 SAR 351

$81.3 SAR 305

14.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.58 SAR 167

$36.86 SAR 138

20.94%

Cinema Ticket

$16.19 SAR 60.8

$15.26 SAR 57.3

6.09%

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

$213 SAR 798

$607 SAR 2,279

-65.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,133 SAR 15.5K

$8,542 SAR 32.1K

-51.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.20 SAR 117

$63.4 SAR 238

-50.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.1 SAR 263

$82.3 SAR 309

-14.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 SAR 360

$97.8 SAR 367

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 SAR 247

$94.4 SAR 354

-30.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 SAR 1,189

$766 SAR 2,876

-58.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 SAR 942

$583 SAR 2,189

-56.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$539 SAR 2,023

$1,247 SAR 4,678

-56.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 SAR 2,101

$906 SAR 3,401

-38.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 SAR 3,504

$1,456 SAR 5,464

-35.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$1,072 SAR 4,025

22.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,204 SAR 8,272

$1,877 SAR 7,046

17.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

2.04%

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

Last update for Abha: October 25, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Abha

$251 23.6%

Al Khobar

$583 39.2% 132% $332

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Abha

$201 19%

Al Khobar

$202 13.6% 0.1% $0.2

Groceries & Markets

Abha

$200 18.9%

Al Khobar

$220 14.8% 9.7% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Abha

$126 11.8%

Al Khobar

$112 7.5% 11.1% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Abha

$118 11.1%

Al Khobar

$152 10.2% 28.5% $34

Eating Out

Abha

$107 10.1%

Al Khobar

$137 9.2% 27.3% $29

Getting Around

Abha

$58 5.5%

Al Khobar

$82 5.5% 41.3% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Abha versus $766 in Al Khobar. 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 17% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Abha versus $60 in Al Khobar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $220 – making Abha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Abha

🇸🇦 Al Khobar

🕒 Local time

13:25 1:25 PM

Same time as Abha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

236,157

219,679

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Abha Al Khobar 1,200 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Abha
Al Khobar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Abha vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar costs about 40% more than Abha, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,593 per month in Abha and $2,231 in Al Khobar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $317 there versus $766 in Al Khobar.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Al Khobar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Abha and $60 in Al Khobar. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,062 in Abha and $1,487 in Al Khobar. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Abha – 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.

For expats, Abha is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 40% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.