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: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,197 in Al-Ula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,832 in Al-Ula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,467 in Al-Ula.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than 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

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$6.71 SAR 25.18

0.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$44.97 SAR 169

16.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.82 SAR 29.34

2.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.77 SAR 6.66

14.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.82 SAR 6.84

49.45%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.74 SAR 14.02

15.51%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.80 SAR 3.02

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.29 SAR 1.07

75.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.68 SAR 6.31

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$0.95 SAR 3.56

45.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.31 SAR 8.69

0.87%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.40 SAR 9.01

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$6.67 SAR 25.02

-1.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$7.71 SAR 28.94

18.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$13.05 SAR 48.97

-2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.27 SAR 8.52

10.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.59 SAR 5.95

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.68 SAR 6.30

25.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.56 SAR 5.85

5.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.24 SAR 4.66

15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.27 SAR 4.75

31.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.23 SAR 4.63

43.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.60 SAR 2.24

3.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$2.87 SAR 10.78

-6.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-19.77%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.06 SAR 7.74

-4.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$7.19 SAR 26.98

-6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.67 SAR 153

51.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.62 SAR 9.82

-14.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-31.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-51.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

-21.48%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-0.27%

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

$123 SAR 461

$103 SAR 388

18.65%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$33.67 SAR 126

3.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$71.7 SAR 269

11.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$86.9 SAR 326

22.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$35.90 SAR 135

0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.87 SAR 59.5

11.28%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$354 SAR 1,330

-13.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

8.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$60.2 SAR 226

5.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$59.2 SAR 222

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$78.7 SAR 295

25.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$83.3 SAR 313

-2.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$444 SAR 1,667

-2.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$374 SAR 1,405

5.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$863 SAR 3,238

19.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$615 SAR 2,309

28.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,395 SAR 8,988

0.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,347 SAR 5,057

8.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $444 in Al-Ula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $45.00 in Al-Ula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $197 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 $2,016 in Al Khobar and $1,796 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 $444 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula versus $1,344 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.