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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,780 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,348 in Hafar Al Batin.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 9% more expensive than in Hafar Al Batin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Hafar Al Batin 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$5.37 SAR 20.18

20.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$26.16 SAR 98.2

103.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$6.40 SAR 24.04

21.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.57 SAR 5.88

28.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.76 SAR 6.62

50.00%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$3.54 SAR 13.29

23.73%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.64 SAR 2.40

59.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.24 SAR 0.91

112.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-10.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.99 SAR 3.72

40.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.38 SAR 8.95

0.84%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.46 SAR 9.23

15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$7.04 SAR 26.43

-5.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$7.48 SAR 28.08

19.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$13.23 SAR 49.69

-3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.27 SAR 8.51

11.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.64 SAR 6.14

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.73 SAR 6.48

24.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.29 SAR 4.83

10.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.28 SAR 4.79

29.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.23 SAR 4.61

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.89 SAR 10.84

-9.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-20.22%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$6.93 SAR 26.02

-4.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.05 SAR 150

53.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.73 SAR 10.25

-18.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-32.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.15 SAR 49.37

-48.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.67 SAR 2.51

-2.99%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.5K SAR 99.4K

-19.72%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.0K SAR 82.6K

4.40%

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

$122 SAR 458

$105 SAR 394

16.13%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$33.09 SAR 124

3.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$72.5 SAR 272

12.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$88.2 SAR 331

20.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$35.45 SAR 133

3.41%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.51 SAR 58.2

10.38%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$347 SAR 1,302

-13.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$7,004 SAR 26.3K

8.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.3 SAR 223

7.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$60.1 SAR 226

15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$78.6 SAR 295

27.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$81.8 SAR 307

-4.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$441 SAR 1,657

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$376 SAR 1,411

4.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$849 SAR 3,188

23.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$617 SAR 2,315

29.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,667 SAR 10.0K

-10.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,386 SAR 5,204

5.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$1,422 SAR 5,341

28.12%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $441 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 28% 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $202 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 9% 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 28% 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $441 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $347 in Hafar Al Batin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,213 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,323 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.