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: $1,402 in Al Khobar versus $1,169 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,205 in Al Khobar versus $1,767 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,008 in Al Khobar versus $2,365 in Al-Ula.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 20% more expensive than in Al-Ula, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Al-Ula is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 SAR 24.53

$6.84 SAR 25.69

-4.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 SAR 225

$36.74 SAR 138

63.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 SAR 29.18

$8.02 SAR 30.10

-3.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 SAR 10.00

$1.61 SAR 6.05

65.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.98 SAR 7.44

36.36%

Cappuccino

$4.49 SAR 16.88

$3.39 SAR 12.74

32.45%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.88 SAR 3.30

3.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.24 SAR 0.90

70.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.02 SAR 3.84

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.22 SAR 8.33

10.81%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.35 SAR 8.81

1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$7.41 SAR 27.82

-3.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 SAR 37.21

$7.80 SAR 29.28

27.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 SAR 43.59

$12.87 SAR 48.33

-9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SAR 10.01

$2.15 SAR 8.08

24.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.68 SAR 6.32

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 SAR 7.70

$1.59 SAR 5.98

28.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.67 SAR 6.25

9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.15 SAR 4.30

20.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.31 SAR 4.92

25.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.14 SAR 4.28

43.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-3.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$2.86 SAR 10.73

-8.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$6.60 SAR 24.78

-0.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$1.07 SAR 4.02

-27.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 SAR 253

$36.60 SAR 137

83.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.21

$3.01 SAR 11.29

7.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.85 SAR 6.94

46.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$13.27 SAR 49.84

-48.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.60 SAR 2.24

5.00%

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

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

43.74%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

2.54%

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

$98.6 SAR 370

$102 SAR 382

-3.16%

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

$32.61 SAR 122

$32.80 SAR 123

-0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 SAR 264

$66.9 SAR 251

5.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 SAR 300

$83.1 SAR 312

-3.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.21 SAR 136

$36.63 SAR 138

-1.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 SAR 56.9

$13.43 SAR 50.4

12.81%

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

$600 SAR 2,253

$342 SAR 1,284

75.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

24.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 SAR 238

$50.8 SAR 191

24.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.4 SAR 306

$59.3 SAR 223

37.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 SAR 366

$96.4 SAR 362

1.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 SAR 347

$88.7 SAR 333

4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,328

$571 SAR 2,142

8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 SAR 1,872

$346 SAR 1,300

44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 SAR 4,445

$872 SAR 3,273

35.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,180

$553 SAR 2,077

53.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,054

$2,347 SAR 8,812

2.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,342

$1,379 SAR 5,179

3.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,843 SAR 6,920

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Al Khobar and $571 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $37.00 in Al-Ula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $198 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 20% 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 $2,103 in Al Khobar and $1,753 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: $620 in Al Khobar versus $571 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 84% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $600 in Al Khobar versus $342 in Al-Ula. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,169 in Al-Ula versus $1,402 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 20% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.