Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Al Majma'ah Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Al Majma'ah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,232 in Al Majma'ah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,961 in Al Majma'ah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,690 in Al Majma'ah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 16% more expensive than in Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Al Majma'ah is 10% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.83 SAR 25.66
$7.89 SAR 29.64
-13.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 SAR 226
$64.7 SAR 243
-6.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.83 SAR 29.42
$8.89 SAR 33.39
-11.92%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 SAR 10.16
$1.90 SAR 7.15
42.11%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60 SAR 9.78
$3.01 SAR 11.30
-13.62%
Cappuccino
$4.47 SAR 16.77
$4.41 SAR 16.55
1.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 SAR 3.74
$0.95 SAR 3.58
4.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 SAR 1.53
$0.31 SAR 1.18
32.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.63 SAR 6.10
$1.66 SAR 6.24
-1.81%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 SAR 4.73
$1.33 SAR 4.98
-5.26%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.53 SAR 9.51
$2.38 SAR 8.94
6.30%
Eggs
$2.36 SAR 8.88
$3.24 SAR 12.18
-27.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.20 SAR 27.04
$9.63 SAR 36.16
-25.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.00 SAR 37.57
$9.56 SAR 35.91
4.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.85 SAR 44.49
$15.60 SAR 58.6
-24.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 SAR 10.36
$2.72 SAR 10.22
1.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 SAR 6.62
$1.94 SAR 7.27
-9.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.04 SAR 7.67
$2.38 SAR 8.96
-14.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.81 SAR 6.81
$1.75 SAR 6.56
3.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.40 SAR 5.25
$1.19 SAR 4.46
17.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.70 SAR 6.39
$1.35 SAR 5.07
25.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 SAR 6.48
$1.71 SAR 6.44
0.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 SAR 2.20
$0.56 SAR 2.10
5.36%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.61 SAR 9.82
$2.75 SAR 10.34
-5.09%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 SAR 5.97
$1.82 SAR 6.85
-12.64%
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93 SAR 7.23
$2.45 SAR 9.20
-21.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.82 SAR 25.63
$7.43 SAR 27.91
-8.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 SAR 3.02
$1.05 SAR 3.93
-23.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$68.8 SAR 258
$35.52 SAR 133
93.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.35 SAR 12.59
$3.15 SAR 11.84
6.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.65 SAR 9.94
$1.82 SAR 6.84
45.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.69 SAR 25.14
$13.52 SAR 50.8
-50.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 SAR 2.27
$0.64 SAR 2.40
-6.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$67.9K SAR 254.9K
$35.9K SAR 135.0K
88.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2K SAR 83.5K
$22.7K SAR 85.4K
-2.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$98.7 SAR 371
$94.3 SAR 354
4.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.44 SAR 122
$32.85 SAR 123
-1.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 SAR 257
$69.0 SAR 259
-0.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$82.1 SAR 308
$83.9 SAR 315
-2.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.49 SAR 137
$37.05 SAR 139
-1.51%
Cinema Ticket
$15.05 SAR 56.5
$13.26 SAR 49.82
13.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$611 SAR 2,294
$540 SAR 2,028
13.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,394 SAR 31.5K
$11.1K SAR 41.6K
-24.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.4 SAR 238
$59.2 SAR 222
7.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$81.7 SAR 307
$57.2 SAR 215
42.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.2 SAR 365
$106 SAR 398
-8.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.5 SAR 355
$108 SAR 407
-12.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$642 SAR 2,413
$581 SAR 2,182
10.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$512 SAR 1,921
$351 SAR 1,317
45.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,183 SAR 4,442
$877 SAR 3,294
34.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$852 SAR 3,201
$540 SAR 2,027
57.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,432 SAR 9,135
$2,320 SAR 8,716
4.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,467 SAR 5,512
$1,378 SAR 5,176
6.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Khobar
Al Majma'ah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,830 SAR 6,872
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.88
5.54
6.14%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $581 in Al Majma'ah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $65.0 in Al Majma'ah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $239 per month, with Al Khobar cheaper across the board.

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 Al Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Al Khobar or Al Majma'ah?
Al Majma'ah wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Majma'ah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Al Khobar and in Al Majma'ah?
You'd need roughly $2,151 in Al Khobar and $1,848 in Al Majma'ah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Al Khobar compared to Al Majma'ah?
Rent for a central apartment: $642 in Al Khobar versus $581 in Al Majma'ah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Al Khobar compared to Al Majma'ah?
A monthly transit pass in Al Majma'ah runs roughly 94% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Al Khobar and in Al Majma'ah?
Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $540 in Al Majma'ah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Al Khobar or in Al Majma'ah?
At $1,232 in Al Majma'ah versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Majma'ah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Al Majma'ah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Al Khobar or Al Majma'ah?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Al Khobar compared to Al Majma'ah?
Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Al Majma'ah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Al Majma'ah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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