Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Hafar Al Batin Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Hafar Al Batin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,157 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,751 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,345 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 24% more expensive than in Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Hafar Al Batin is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$6.47 SAR 24.31

5.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.25 SAR 140

61.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$7.77 SAR 29.16

0.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.88 SAR 7.08

43.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$2.12 SAR 7.97

22.64%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.47 SAR 13.04

28.82%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.87 SAR 3.27

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.26 SAR 0.98

57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.95 SAR 7.31

-16.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.17 SAR 4.39

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.25 SAR 8.47

12.44%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$7.50 SAR 28.16

-4.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.56

$8.00 SAR 30.05

25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.48

$12.92 SAR 48.51

-8.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.35

$2.15 SAR 8.08

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.55 SAR 5.81

31.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.63 SAR 6.12

11.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.19 SAR 4.48

17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.30 SAR 4.88

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.15 SAR 4.30

49.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.58 SAR 2.19

1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.82 SAR 10.60

-7.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-9.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-8.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.84 SAR 25.67

-0.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-26.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$35.34 SAR 133

94.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.95 SAR 11.08

13.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.85 SAR 6.94

43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-50.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-4.76%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

$46.1K SAR 173.0K

47.30%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.3K SAR 80.1K

4.22%

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

$98.7 SAR 370

$99.2 SAR 373

-0.58%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$32.23 SAR 121

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$65.7 SAR 247

3.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$82.7 SAR 311

-0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$36.81 SAR 138

-0.87%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.51 SAR 50.7

11.40%

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

$611 SAR 2,293

$340 SAR 1,276

79.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,607 SAR 24.8K

27.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.2 SAR 189

26.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$57.8 SAR 217

41.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$98.3 SAR 369

-1.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$87.6 SAR 329

7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$581 SAR 2,184

10.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$345 SAR 1,297

48.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,441

$866 SAR 3,252

36.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,200

$560 SAR 2,102

52.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,133

$2,354 SAR 8,841

3.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,511

$1,396 SAR 5,243

5.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,871

$1,373 SAR 5,155

33.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $581 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 33% 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 $37.00 in Hafar Al Batin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $205 per month, with Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hafar Al Batin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 33% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $642 in Al Khobar versus $581 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hafar Al Batin runs roughly 95% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $340 in Hafar Al Batin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,157 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hafar Al Batin but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.