Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $2,476 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $3,545 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $4,613 in Barcelona.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 42% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 5% above, Barcelona 81% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$18.74 €16.33

-63.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$69.5 €60.6

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$13.77 €12.00

-43.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.10 €2.70

44.19%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$2.83 €2.47

-65.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$1.88 €1.64

-78.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 €3.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 €3.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.27 €1.11

28.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$2.16 €1.88

-41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$1.76 €1.53

43.75%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$5.13 €4.47

-54.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$17.88 €15.59

-59.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$9.65 €8.41

3.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$20.15 €17.56

-41.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$3.25 €2.84

-15.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$2.23 €1.94

-21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.60 €2.27

-21.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.76 €2.40

-34.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$2.21 €1.93

-36.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$2.12 €1.85

-19.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.55 €1.35

10.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.95 €0.83

-37.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$7.34 €6.40

-7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 €7.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 €1.35

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 €2.43

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$3.11 €2.71

-74.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$25.86 €22.54

165.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$3.27 €2.85

2.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.48 €1.29

79.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$34.27 €29.88

-80.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.73 €1.51

-65.32%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$36.4K €31.7K

86.60%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$30.5K €26.6K

-27.20%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$187 €163

-47.26%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$15.14 €13.20

114.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$37.69 €32.85

81.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$55.9 €48.76

46.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$17.08 €14.89

113.64%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$11.41 €9.95

31.90%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$997 €869

-38.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$16.5K €14.4K

-49.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$92.6 €80.8

-31.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$41.22 €35.93

98.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$111 €96.9

-12.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$125 €109

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$1,707 €1,488

-62.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$1,286 €1,121

-60.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$2,565 €2,236

-53.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$1,942 €1,693

-56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,134

$7,647 €6,666

-68.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$5,167 €4,504

-71.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$2,348 €2,047

-22.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

3.16

86.08%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 28% 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $336 per month, with Al Khobar 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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Barcelona. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 28% lower in Barcelona. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $642 in Al Khobar versus $1,707 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 166% less than in Barcelona. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $997 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $2,476 in Barcelona, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,434 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Barcelona 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 Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.