Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Al-Ula Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Al-Ula

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,194 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,841 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,489 in Al-Ula.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than in Al-Ula, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Al-Ula is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$6.62 SAR 24.88

3.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$44.37 SAR 167

21.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.75 SAR 29.11

5.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.70 SAR 6.40

16.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.77 SAR 6.64

52.54%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.00

$3.64 SAR 13.67

17.03%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.80 SAR 3.01

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.29 SAR 1.08

68.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.92 SAR 3.47

52.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.31 SAR 8.67

0.43%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.43 SAR 9.13

18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.04

$7.03 SAR 26.40

-1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$7.27 SAR 27.29

25.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.33

$12.88 SAR 48.37

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.16 SAR 8.13

17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.65 SAR 6.19

4.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.75 SAR 6.59

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.24 SAR 4.67

13.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.29 SAR 4.84

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.18 SAR 4.44

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.54 SAR 2.04

11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.77 SAR 10.41

-2.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-16.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$2.00 SAR 7.51

-6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$7.07 SAR 26.56

-7.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$40.36 SAR 152

48.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-30.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.27 SAR 49.84

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.61 SAR 2.27

6.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$26.4K SAR 98.9K

-18.90%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

1.59%

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

$124 SAR 466

$107 SAR 400

16.44%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$33.61 SAR 126

2.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$71.4 SAR 268

13.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$86.6 SAR 325

26.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$36.23 SAR 136

1.57%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$15.59 SAR 58.5

11.35%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$354 SAR 1,330

-13.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

9.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$59.8 SAR 224

6.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$60.8 SAR 228

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$77.7 SAR 292

28.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$82.5 SAR 310

-2.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$434 SAR 1,628

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$380 SAR 1,425

5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$835 SAR 3,137

26.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$615 SAR 2,308

32.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,257 SAR 8,476

8.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,522 SAR 5,716

-6.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,970

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $434 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $44.00 in Al-Ula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $195 per month, with Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Ula wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al-Ula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,999 in Al Khobar and $1,791 in Al-Ula 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Al Khobar versus $434 in Al-Ula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Ula runs roughly 49% 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 $354 in Al-Ula. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,194 in Al-Ula versus $1,332 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-Ula but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Ula 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-Ula 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-Ula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.