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: $1,353 in Al Khobar versus $1,211 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,112 in Al Khobar versus $1,799 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,870 in Al Khobar versus $2,388 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than in Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 1% above, Hafar Al Batin is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.80

$5.38 SAR 20.21

22.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$27.02 SAR 101

99.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.21

$6.56 SAR 24.61

22.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.59 SAR 5.97

23.90%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$1.71 SAR 6.41

52.05%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$3.41 SAR 12.81

24.05%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.52

$0.69 SAR 2.60

36.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.81

$0.24 SAR 0.91

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.96 SAR 7.36

-13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.98 SAR 3.69

42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.90

$2.37 SAR 8.89

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.48 SAR 9.32

14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 SAR 25.47

$6.89 SAR 25.84

-1.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.33

$7.38 SAR 27.69

23.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 SAR 46.10

$12.75 SAR 47.84

-3.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.39

$2.28 SAR 8.57

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.66 SAR 6.22

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$1.68 SAR 6.29

31.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.23 SAR 4.63

21.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.33 SAR 4.98

30.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.24 SAR 4.65

41.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.59 SAR 2.21

1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-1.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-15.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$7.11 SAR 26.68

-6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-17.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 SAR 224

$40.28 SAR 151

47.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.68 SAR 10.06

-16.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-25.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$13.06 SAR 49.03

-47.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.36

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

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-19.72%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

3.80%

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

$122 SAR 457

$106 SAR 399

14.66%

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

$34.14 SAR 128

$33.56 SAR 126

1.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$73.0 SAR 274

10.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$87.2 SAR 327

23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.22 SAR 136

$35.56 SAR 133

1.86%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 SAR 64.2

$15.67 SAR 58.8

9.13%

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

$311 SAR 1,169

$350 SAR 1,313

-10.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

$6,958 SAR 26.1K

11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.2 SAR 222

8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 SAR 267

$61.5 SAR 231

15.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SAR 372

$80.7 SAR 303

22.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 SAR 303

$83.0 SAR 311

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,620

$439 SAR 1,647

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,476

$388 SAR 1,458

1.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 SAR 3,950

$866 SAR 3,250

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 SAR 3,016

$618 SAR 2,319

30.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 SAR 8,911

$2,077 SAR 7,795

14.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 SAR 5,464

$1,225 SAR 4,599

18.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,847 SAR 6,933

$1,386 SAR 5,203

33.25%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $439 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: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $27.00 in Hafar Al Batin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $199 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 12% 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: $432 in Al Khobar versus $439 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 48% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $311 in Al Khobar versus $350 in Hafar Al Batin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,211 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,353 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 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.