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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,304 in Al Mubarraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,979 in Al Mubarraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,655 in Al Mubarraz.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 3% 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 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$7.65 SAR 28.70

-12.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$39.08 SAR 147

34.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.34 SAR 27.55

9.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.76 SAR 6.61

15.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$2.11 SAR 7.92

27.49%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$3.99 SAR 14.98

8.77%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.64 SAR 2.41

46.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.17 SAR 0.65

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.30 SAR 4.89

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.31 SAR 8.68

-0.43%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.64 SAR 9.92

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$8.27 SAR 31.01

-18.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$10.06 SAR 37.76

-7.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$14.41 SAR 54.1

-12.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.26 SAR 8.49

10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.80 SAR 6.76

23.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.60 SAR 6.00

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.29 SAR 4.83

10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.50 SAR 5.64

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.45 SAR 5.45

17.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.57 SAR 2.12

10.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.77 SAR 10.40

-5.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-18.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$7.50 SAR 28.14

-9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-11.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.27 SAR 147

55.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$3.29 SAR 12.33

-33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-32.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-51.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.53 SAR 2.00

15.09%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$20.3K SAR 76.3K

5.96%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$23.8K SAR 89.4K

-1.70%

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

$125 SAR 468

$103 SAR 388

20.66%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$34.28 SAR 129

1.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$75.4 SAR 283

7.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$87.2 SAR 327

25.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$35.01 SAR 131

4.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.95 SAR 59.9

10.72%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$454 SAR 1,703

-33.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$9,573 SAR 35.9K

-20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.0 SAR 221

9.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$65.5 SAR 246

5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$108 SAR 407

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$100.0 SAR 375

-21.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$446 SAR 1,675

-1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$388 SAR 1,456

4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$841 SAR 3,156

21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$632 SAR 2,371

28.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,383 SAR 8,943

0.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,319 SAR 4,949

11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$1,074 SAR 4,030

73.27%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $446 in Al Mubarraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 73% 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $225, 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 3% 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 73% 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $446 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 56% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $454 in Al Mubarraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,304 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,346 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 3% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.