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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,240 in Al Mubarraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,880 in Al Mubarraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,519 in Al Mubarraz.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Al Mubarraz is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$7.62 SAR 28.62

-10.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$36.77 SAR 138

63.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$8.03 SAR 30.15

-2.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$2.05 SAR 7.71

31.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$2.07 SAR 7.79

25.60%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$4.34 SAR 16.29

3.00%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.68 SAR 2.56

45.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.28 SAR 1.06

46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.31 SAR 4.91

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.34 SAR 8.79

8.12%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$3.20 SAR 12.01

-26.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$9.73 SAR 36.56

-26.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$9.65 SAR 36.25

3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$15.49 SAR 58.2

-23.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.75 SAR 10.32

0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.74 SAR 6.53

4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.19 SAR 4.47

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.37 SAR 5.15

24.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.66 SAR 6.22

3.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-1.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-6.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.75 SAR 6.59

-9.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.46 SAR 9.25

-21.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$7.48 SAR 28.09

-8.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$36.55 SAR 137

88.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.59

$3.28 SAR 12.30

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.88 SAR 7.05

40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.14

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-49.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.61 SAR 2.28

-1.64%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

86.70%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-1.55%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$96.1 SAR 361

2.71%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$32.18 SAR 121

0.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$70.1 SAR 263

-2.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$85.7 SAR 322

-4.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$36.68 SAR 138

-0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.52 SAR 50.8

11.32%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$551 SAR 2,070

10.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

-25.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$58.1 SAR 218

9.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$57.2 SAR 215

42.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$110 SAR 413

-11.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$108 SAR 404

-12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,413

$574 SAR 2,157

11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$347 SAR 1,302

47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$886 SAR 3,330

33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$550 SAR 2,066

54.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,135

$2,371 SAR 8,904

2.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$1,396 SAR 5,243

5.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$1,063 SAR 3,992

72.17%

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 Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $574 in Al Mubarraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 72% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $37.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $240, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Al Khobar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $642 in Al Khobar versus $574 in Al Mubarraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Mubarraz runs roughly 88% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $551 in Al Mubarraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,240 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Mubarraz but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mubarraz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Al Mubarraz are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Mubarraz 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.