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: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,303 in Dhahran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $1,663 in Dhahran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $2,024 in Dhahran.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 9% more expensive than in Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 3% above, Dhahran is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$5.39 SAR 20.22

24.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$39.25 SAR 147

51.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$6.37 SAR 23.92

24.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.83 SAR 6.88

41.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.57 SAR 5.89

71.97%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$3.95 SAR 14.84

9.37%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.73 SAR 2.75

36.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.15 SAR 0.58

153.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.02 SAR 3.82

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$1.93 SAR 7.26

25.91%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$3.81 SAR 14.30

-37.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.72

$8.58 SAR 32.21

-17.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.48

$11.12 SAR 41.77

-7.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.13

$13.59 SAR 51.1

-13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.09 SAR 7.86

33.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.41 SAR 5.28

21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.42

$1.82 SAR 6.85

8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.75 SAR 6.58

4.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.55 SAR 5.84

-12.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$0.95 SAR 3.56

71.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-13.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.92 SAR 3.47

-40.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$4.67 SAR 17.55

-44.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.63 SAR 6.14

-2.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.43 SAR 9.12

-25.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$5.71 SAR 21.43

14.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-10.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.78

$1.35 SAR 5.07

151.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$3.41 SAR 12.80

-23.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$9.35 SAR 35.12

-27.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.64 SAR 2.41

-6.25%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

$51.9K SAR 194.9K

29.50%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

7.33%

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

$100 SAR 376

$59.7 SAR 224

67.89%

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

$32.10 SAR 121

$42.29 SAR 159

-24.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$66.7 SAR 251

2.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

$197 SAR 741

-58.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$91.5 SAR 344

-60.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.6

$10.51 SAR 39.48

48.33%

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

$590 SAR 2,216

$67.6 SAR 254

772.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

-36.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$50.5 SAR 190

23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$43.25 SAR 162

92.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$75.1 SAR 282

27.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$90.0 SAR 338

1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$361 SAR 1,357

78.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

$460 SAR 1,728

7.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

$2,813 SAR 10.6K

-35.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

4.5

30.67%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $361 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: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $39.00 in Dhahran. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $232, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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 9% 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $361 in Dhahran. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $67.6 in Dhahran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dhahran – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $59.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,303 in Dhahran versus $1,415 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.