Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,415 per month in Al Khobar vs $1,046 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,187 per month in Al Khobar vs $1,746 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,960 per month in Al Khobar vs $2,446 in Abha, rent included.

Al Khobar costs about 35% more than Abha, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Al Khobar sits 3% above the global median, while Abha is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$5.38 SAR 20.20

24.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$51.2 SAR 192

15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$7.28 SAR 27.33

8.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.62 SAR 6.08

59.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.29 SAR 4.86

109.30%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$3.09 SAR 11.62

39.81%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.63 SAR 2.36

58.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.22 SAR 0.82

72.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.62 SAR 6.07

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$0.63 SAR 2.38

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$1.99 SAR 7.46

22.11%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$3.19 SAR 11.99

-24.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.72

$4.47 SAR 16.80

59.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.48

$7.53 SAR 28.26

36.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.13

$18.60 SAR 69.8

-36.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.08 SAR 7.81

33.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.99 SAR 7.49

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.42

$1.55 SAR 5.83

27.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.61 SAR 6.06

13.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-37.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.26 SAR 4.73

29.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$0.35 SAR 1.30

380.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.51 SAR 1.93

7.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$4.37 SAR 16.41

-40.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.23 SAR 4.60

29.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$1.49 SAR 5.61

21.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$9.13 SAR 34.28

-28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$0.80 SAR 3.00

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

$35.27 SAR 132

88.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.78

$2.99 SAR 11.23

13.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.69 SAR 10.12

-2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$13.00 SAR 48.82

-48.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.60 SAR 2.26

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

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

$45.1K SAR 169.2K

49.18%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$19.5K SAR 73.1K

14.47%

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

$100 SAR 376

$88.1 SAR 331

13.74%

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

$32.10 SAR 121

$37.07 SAR 139

-13.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$78.0 SAR 293

-12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

$90.3 SAR 339

-9.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$44.44 SAR 167

-18.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.6

$16.08 SAR 60.4

-3.05%

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

$590 SAR 2,216

$206 SAR 774

186.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$4,231 SAR 15.9K

102.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$30.71 SAR 115

103.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$71.7 SAR 269

16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$96.1 SAR 361

-0.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$66.9 SAR 251

36.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$306 SAR 1,150

110.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

$252 SAR 945

97.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

$537 SAR 2,016

121.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

$563 SAR 2,113

55.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

$945 SAR 3,549

152.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

$1,315 SAR 4,940

11.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

$2,238 SAR 8,405

-19.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

-2.00%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Abha: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $645 in Al Khobar versus $306 in Abha. 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 24% 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 $59.0 in Al Khobar versus $51.0 in Abha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $203 – making Abha 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

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

Al Khobar costs about 35% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,122 per month in Al Khobar and $1,570 in Abha. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $59.0 in Al Khobar and $51.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,046, than in Al Khobar at $1,415. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Khobar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Khobar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.