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: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,332 in Dhahran.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $2,029 in Dhahran.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,725 in Dhahran.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 1% more expensive than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Dhahran is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$5.23 SAR 19.64

29.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$40.50 SAR 152

29.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.14 SAR 26.78

12.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$2.05 SAR 7.68

-1.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.61 SAR 6.06

68.94%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.77 SAR 14.14

14.59%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.74 SAR 2.78

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.17 SAR 0.63

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.49 SAR 5.60

13.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.17 SAR 4.39

17.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.18 SAR 8.18

6.88%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.39 SAR 8.98

21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$6.83 SAR 25.62

-3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$8.84 SAR 33.18

3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-5.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.24 SAR 8.41

11.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.38 SAR 5.20

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.63 SAR 6.11

29.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.37 SAR 5.13

19.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.23 SAR 4.63

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$0.89 SAR 3.34

87.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.10 SAR 4.14

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.57 SAR 2.15

8.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$4.84 SAR 18.16

-44.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.98 SAR 7.43

-28.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.56 SAR 5.86

26.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-12.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.72 SAR 153

51.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.35 SAR 5.08

66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-46.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-51.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-7.69%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

-34.79%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-6.62%

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

$123 SAR 461

$104 SAR 391

17.84%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$36.18 SAR 136

-3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$73.6 SAR 276

8.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$183 SAR 688

-41.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$36.00 SAR 135

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$11.90 SAR 44.66

48.40%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$414 SAR 1,553

-25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

-23.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$59.4 SAR 223

7.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$76.7 SAR 288

-8.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$84.4 SAR 317

16.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$97.8 SAR 367

-17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$439 SAR 1,648

-1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$383 SAR 1,436

3.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$836 SAR 3,138

23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$615 SAR 2,308

28.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$1,110 SAR 4,166

117.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,066 SAR 3,999

36.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-35.49%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $41.00 in Dhahran for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $200 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 1% 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, Dhahran earns 55% less. 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $414 in Dhahran. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Dhahran versus $1,344 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 1% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.