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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,655 in Beirut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $2,680 in Beirut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $3,705 in Beirut.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 15% less than in Beirut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 3% above, Beirut 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.69 SAR 25.13
$12.16 LBP 1.1M
-44.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.3 SAR 223
$63.7 LBP 5.7M
-6.85%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.92 SAR 29.73
$10.05 LBP 899.8K
-21.19%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 SAR 9.74
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 SAR 10.15
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.32 SAR 16.21
$4.67 LBP 417.8K
-7.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 SAR 3.74
$2.36 LBP 210.9K
-57.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 SAR 1.42
$0.89 LBP 79.4K
-57.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.98 LBP 446.0K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.05 LBP 451.9K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.62 SAR 6.08
$1.93 LBP 172.6K
-16.06%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 SAR 4.75
$0.89 LBP 79.6K
41.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.43 SAR 9.13
$2.14 LBP 192.0K
13.55%
Eggs
$2.40 SAR 9.02
$3.65 LBP 326.4K
-34.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.11 SAR 26.72
$13.65 LBP 1.2M
-47.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.25 SAR 38.48
$10.78 LBP 965.1K
-4.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.75 SAR 44.13
$14.25 LBP 1.3M
-17.54%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 SAR 10.44
$3.08 LBP 275.6K
-9.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 SAR 6.45
$1.70 LBP 152.1K
1.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 SAR 7.42
$1.66 LBP 148.8K
18.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.83 SAR 6.87
$1.49 LBP 133.1K
22.82%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 SAR 5.05
$1.36 LBP 121.3K
-0.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.63 SAR 6.13
$1.66 LBP 148.5K
-1.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.68 SAR 6.30
$1.17 LBP 104.7K
43.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 SAR 2.05
$0.74 LBP 66.2K
-25.68%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.60 SAR 9.75
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 SAR 5.96
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 SAR 6.79
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54 SAR 24.56
$3.03 LBP 271.5K
115.84%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.80 LBP 877.2K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.31 LBP 117.4K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.49 LBP 222.5K
-
🚌 Getting Around
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.74 SAR 2.79
$2.24 LBP 200.2K
-66.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$66.6 SAR 250
$77.1 LBP 6.9M
-13.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.40 SAR 12.78
$4.88 LBP 436.8K
-30.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.62 SAR 9.83
$2.30 LBP 206.3K
13.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.75 SAR 25.36
$22.46 LBP 2.0M
-69.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 SAR 2.25
$1.00 LBP 89.9K
-40.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$67.2K SAR 252.4K
$52.5K LBP 4.7B
27.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K SAR 83.7K
$32.5K LBP 2.9B
-31.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$100 SAR 376
$227 LBP 20.4M
-55.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.10 SAR 121
$23.70 LBP 2.1M
35.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 SAR 256
$38.37 LBP 3.4M
77.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$81.6 SAR 306
$84.7 LBP 7.6M
-3.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.00 SAR 135
$34.38 LBP 3.1M
4.71%
Cinema Ticket
$15.59 SAR 58.6
$10.15 LBP 908.6K
53.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$590 SAR 2,216
$680 LBP 60.9M
-13.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,568 SAR 32.2K
$10.8K LBP 967.7M
-20.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 SAR 234
$68.6 LBP 6.1M
-9.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$83.5 SAR 313
$49.01 LBP 4.4M
70.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.7 SAR 359
$138 LBP 12.4M
-30.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 SAR 343
$121 LBP 10.8M
-24.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 SAR 2,423
$929 LBP 83.1M
-30.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$496 SAR 1,864
$504 LBP 45.1M
-1.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,188 SAR 4,463
$2,255 LBP 201.8M
-47.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$876 SAR 3,289
$1,058 LBP 94.7M
-17.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,382 SAR 8,944
$3,902 LBP 349.3M
-38.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,464 SAR 5,498
$1,805 LBP 161.6M
-18.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Al Khobar
Beirut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,812 SAR 6,806
$716 LBP 64.1M
153.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.88
11
-46.55%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Beirut: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $929 in Beirut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $64.0 in Beirut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $281 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 Beirut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Al Khobar or Beirut?
Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Beirut. 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 Beirut?
Average pay runs 153% 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 Beirut?
Rent for a central apartment: $645 in Al Khobar versus $929 in Beirut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Al Khobar compared to Beirut?
A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 16% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Al Khobar and in Beirut?
Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $680 in Beirut. 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 Beirut?
At $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,655 in Beirut, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Al Khobar or Beirut?
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 Beirut?
Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Beirut are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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