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: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,280 in Al Mubarraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,930 in Al Mubarraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,580 in Al Mubarraz.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 5% more expensive than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Al Mubarraz is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$7.42 SAR 27.82

-8.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$39.01 SAR 146

34.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.17 SAR 26.87

8.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.69 SAR 6.33

20.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.09 SAR 7.83

30.62%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$4.00 SAR 14.98

5.75%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.69 SAR 2.57

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.20 SAR 0.75

145.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.68 SAR 6.29

5.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$1.26 SAR 4.71

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.41 SAR 9.02

-0.41%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.69 SAR 10.08

4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$8.25 SAR 30.93

-16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$9.87 SAR 37.02

-8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$14.48 SAR 54.3

-14.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.32 SAR 8.68

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.68 SAR 6.31

2.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.81 SAR 6.80

22.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.55 SAR 5.81

4.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.23 SAR 4.60

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.50 SAR 5.64

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.40 SAR 5.25

22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.53 SAR 1.98

11.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.88 SAR 10.79

-5.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-18.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.39 SAR 8.95

-21.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.28 SAR 27.29

-9.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$39.27 SAR 147

51.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$3.27 SAR 12.25

-32.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.91 SAR 7.17

-31.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.37 SAR 50.1

-49.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.58 SAR 2.16

8.62%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

5.35%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$23.4K SAR 87.7K

-1.32%

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

$123 SAR 461

$105 SAR 394

16.93%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$34.84 SAR 131

-1.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$76.1 SAR 285

6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$87.1 SAR 327

25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$35.01 SAR 131

3.03%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.77 SAR 59.1

8.75%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$456 SAR 1,709

-32.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$9,494 SAR 35.6K

-20.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$58.9 SAR 221

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$64.6 SAR 242

6.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$108 SAR 406

-8.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$99.0 SAR 371

-20.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$436 SAR 1,635

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$388 SAR 1,454

1.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$835 SAR 3,131

26.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$627 SAR 2,352

25.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,250 SAR 8,437

7.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,445 SAR 5,418

-0.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,050 SAR 3,938

84.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

5.31

-27.68%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $436 in Al Mubarraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 85% 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: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $223, 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 5% 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.

Al Khobar pays 85% more on average, 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: $437 in Al Khobar versus $436 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 52% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $456 in Al Mubarraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,280 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,341 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 5% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.