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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,302 in Dhahran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,999 in Dhahran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,697 in Dhahran.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 2% more expensive than in Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Dhahran is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$5.30 SAR 19.91

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$40.06 SAR 150

34.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.35 SAR 27.58

11.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.01 SAR 7.56

-1.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.59 SAR 5.96

69.81%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.00

$3.67 SAR 13.79

16.08%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.70 SAR 2.62

37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.20 SAR 0.73

145.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.51 SAR 5.68

11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.18 SAR 4.43

18.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.16 SAR 8.10

7.41%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.36 SAR 8.86

22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.04

$6.55 SAR 24.61

5.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$8.74 SAR 32.82

4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.33

$13.55 SAR 50.9

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.17 SAR 8.15

17.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.42 SAR 5.34

21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.58 SAR 5.94

34.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.30 SAR 4.88

20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.19 SAR 4.47

18.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$0.98 SAR 3.66

75.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.07 SAR 4.01

58.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.57 SAR 2.15

5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$4.76 SAR 17.88

-43.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$2.00 SAR 7.53

-27.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$1.55 SAR 5.83

21.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$9.21 SAR 34.59

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$40.24 SAR 151

49.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$1.37 SAR 5.13

64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-42.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.26 SAR 49.79

-50.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.39

1.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

-32.81%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

-6.93%

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

$124 SAR 466

$106 SAR 397

17.35%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$36.75 SAR 138

-6.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$72.3 SAR 271

11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$184 SAR 689

-40.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.54 SAR 133

3.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$12.10 SAR 45.42

43.47%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$403 SAR 1,514

-24.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

-22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$59.7 SAR 224

6.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$74.7 SAR 281

-6.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$85.8 SAR 322

16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$95.9 SAR 360

-16.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$439 SAR 1,650

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$381 SAR 1,430

5.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$840 SAR 3,153

26.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$633 SAR 2,377

28.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$1,109 SAR 4,164

120.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,053 SAR 3,955

35.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,970

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

-35.64%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $439 in Dhahran. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhahran pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Dhahran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $198 per month, with Dhahran 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dhahran wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dhahran the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Dhahran. 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $439 in Dhahran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dhahran runs roughly 49% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $403 in Dhahran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,302 in Dhahran versus $1,332 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dhahran but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Dhahran 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 Dhahran 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 Dhahran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.