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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,284 in Al Mubarraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,930 in Al Mubarraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,575 in Al Mubarraz.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 3% more expensive than in Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Al Mubarraz 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$7.28 SAR 27.33

-11.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$39.39 SAR 148

34.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.31 SAR 27.45

6.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.69 SAR 6.35

19.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$2.07 SAR 7.76

27.54%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$4.15 SAR 15.57

5.54%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.69 SAR 2.59

47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.23 SAR 0.85

121.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.63 SAR 6.13

7.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.30 SAR 4.90

6.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-1.23%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.65 SAR 9.94

6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$8.61 SAR 32.35

-22.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$9.97 SAR 37.46

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$14.72 SAR 55.3

-13.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.34 SAR 8.77

8.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.69 SAR 6.33

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.85 SAR 6.94

16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.54 SAR 5.77

1.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.24 SAR 4.66

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.46 SAR 5.49

13.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.43 SAR 5.39

19.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.56 SAR 2.11

3.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.85 SAR 10.70

-8.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.71 SAR 6.44

-16.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.32 SAR 8.69

-14.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$7.34 SAR 27.57

-9.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-12.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.68 SAR 153

51.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-32.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-30.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.27 SAR 49.84

-48.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.53 SAR 2.01

22.64%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

6.77%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

-0.15%

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

$122 SAR 458

$106 SAR 397

15.37%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$34.96 SAR 131

-2.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$77.2 SAR 290

5.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$89.1 SAR 334

19.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$36.07 SAR 135

1.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.90 SAR 59.7

7.67%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$465 SAR 1,745

-35.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$9,714 SAR 36.5K

-21.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.5 SAR 223

6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$65.1 SAR 244

6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$106 SAR 398

-5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$100 SAR 376

-22.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$434 SAR 1,632

-1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$380 SAR 1,427

3.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$837 SAR 3,145

25.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$628 SAR 2,358

27.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,370 SAR 8,899

0.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,176 SAR 4,417

24.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$1,073 SAR 4,030

69.80%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $434 in Al Mubarraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 70% 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 $216 vs $226, 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.

Average pay runs 70% 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $434 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $465 in Al Mubarraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,284 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,323 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.