Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Athens

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Khobar: $1,471 a month against $1,779 in Athens, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Athens, Greece
Al Khobar
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,471
/mo nomad
Athens
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,779
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al Khobar and in Athens

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al Khobar and in Athens actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,471 in Al Khobar versus $1,779 in Athens.

  • Al Khobar $1,471
  • Athens $1,779

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,231 in Al Khobar versus $2,721 in Athens.

  • Al Khobar $2,231
  • Athens $2,721

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,991 in Al Khobar versus $3,663 in Athens.

  • Al Khobar $2,991
  • Athens $3,663

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 17% less than in Athens, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 9% above, Athens 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.74 SAR 25.29
$16.83 €14.99
-59.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.2 SAR 226
$66.0 €58.8
-8.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.14 SAR 30.57
$11.21 €9.98
-27.39%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.60 SAR 9.76
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 SAR 10.03
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.35 SAR 16.33
$4.08 €3.64
6.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 SAR 3.54
$2.77 €2.47
-66.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 SAR 1.53
$0.54 €0.48
-24.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.70 €5.07
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.26 €5.58
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 SAR 6.18
$1.84 €1.64
-10.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.24 SAR 4.67
$1.43 €1.27
-13.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.46 SAR 9.24
$2.67 €2.38
-7.87%
Eggs
$2.35 SAR 8.81
$4.95 €4.41
-52.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.42 SAR 27.86
$15.09 €13.44
-50.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.09 SAR 37.87
$10.99 €9.79
-8.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.69 SAR 43.86
$19.77 €17.60
-40.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.72 SAR 10.20
$2.12 €1.89
28.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 SAR 6.40
$1.98 €1.76
-13.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 SAR 7.43
$1.33 €1.18
48.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.74 SAR 6.52
$2.16 €1.92
-19.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 SAR 5.33
$1.06 €0.94
33.96%
Onion (1kg)
$1.67 SAR 6.25
$1.15 €1.02
45.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.65 SAR 6.18
$1.08 €0.96
52.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 SAR 2.01
$0.85 €0.75
-37.65%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.62 SAR 9.82
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 SAR 5.92
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 SAR 7.03
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.80 SAR 25.50
$5.46 €4.86
24.54%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.03 €8.93
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.04 €1.82
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.38 €2.12
-
🚌 Getting Around
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.93 SAR 3.49
$1.35 €1.20
-31.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.5 SAR 204
$30.52 €27.18
78.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.76 SAR 6.61
$3.81 €3.39
-53.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.68 SAR 10.07
$1.03 €0.92
160.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.22 SAR 53.4
$16.49 €14.68
-13.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.63 SAR 2.38
$2.34 €2.09
-73.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$66.8K SAR 250.9K
$27.8K €24.7K
140.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K SAR 80.3K
$26.6K €23.7K
-19.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.9 SAR 364
$202 €180
-52.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.58 SAR 122
$26.81 €23.87
21.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 SAR 256
$30.49 €27.14
123.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$80.1 SAR 301
$54.1 €48.14
48.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.17 SAR 136
$27.40 €24.40
32.01%
Cinema Ticket
$15.22 SAR 57.1
$10.44 €9.30
45.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$599 SAR 2,249
$568 €505
5.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.6K SAR 69.9K
$15.2K €13.5K
22.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.5 SAR 238
$90.7 €80.7
-29.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$83.0 SAR 311
$39.32 €35.01
111.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.4 SAR 366
$105 €93.7
-7.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.8 SAR 356
$129 €115
-26.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$762 SAR 2,860
$742 €661
2.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$584 SAR 2,192
$648 €577
-9.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 SAR 4,602
$1,271 €1,132
-3.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$912 SAR 3,424
$1,122 €999
-18.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,437 SAR 5,392
$3,999 €3,561
-64.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,037 SAR 3,894
$3,281 €2,921
-68.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Khobar
Athens
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,872 SAR 7,028
$1,245 €1,109
50.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.88
4.44
32.43%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: November 3, 2026

Last update for Athens: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Al Khobar
$584
Athens
$648 11% $64
Groceries & Markets
Al Khobar
$217
Athens
$316 45.8% $99
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Khobar
$198
Athens
$260 31.2% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Al Khobar
$152
Athens
$164 7.5% $11
Eating Out
Al Khobar
$136
Athens
$272 99.7% $136
Sport & Entertainment
Al Khobar
$111
Athens
$75 32.2% $36
Getting Around
Al Khobar
$73
Athens
$45 38.8% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $762 in Al Khobar and $742 in Athens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60 in Al Khobar vs $66 in Athens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $316 per month, with Al Khobar cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Al Khobar
🇬🇷 Athens
🕒 Local time
10:41 10:41 AM
09:41 9:41 AM
1 h behind Al Khobar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
219,679
3,090,508 Capital
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.22 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 0.89 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Al Khobar Athens 2,800 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Al Khobar
  • Athens

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Athens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Al Khobar or Athens?
Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Athens. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Al Khobar or in Athens?
Average pay runs 50% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Al Khobar compared to Athens?
Rent for a central apartment: $762 in Al Khobar versus $742 in Athens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Al Khobar compared to Athens?
A monthly transit pass in Athens runs roughly 44% less than in Al Khobar. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Al Khobar and in Athens?
Childcare runs $599 in Al Khobar versus $568 in Athens. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Al Khobar or in Athens?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Al Khobar is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Al Khobar or Athens?
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.
How safe is Al Khobar compared to Athens?
Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Athens are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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