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: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,225 in Hafar Al Batin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,809 in Hafar Al Batin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,392 in Hafar Al Batin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Hafar Al Batin is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$5.42 SAR 20.33

25.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$26.40 SAR 99.0

98.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$6.38 SAR 23.91

22.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.58 SAR 5.92

28.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.75 SAR 6.57

56.00%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.44 SAR 12.91

22.97%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.70 SAR 2.63

45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.24 SAR 0.90

104.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-12.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$1.00 SAR 3.75

34.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.34 SAR 8.79

2.56%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.45 SAR 9.17

15.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.82 SAR 25.58

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$7.58 SAR 28.41

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$13.02 SAR 48.83

-4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.27 SAR 8.52

7.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.58 SAR 5.92

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.69 SAR 6.32

30.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.56 SAR 5.87

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.29 SAR 4.85

10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.34 SAR 5.01

28.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.19 SAR 4.45

43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.59 SAR 2.21

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.77 SAR 10.40

-1.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-12.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-10.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.06 SAR 26.46

-6.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.04 SAR 3.90

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$40.53 SAR 152

46.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.70 SAR 10.12

-18.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-29.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.52 SAR 50.7

-50.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-4.55%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$26.8K SAR 100.5K

-21.69%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$22.7K SAR 85.0K

1.75%

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

$123 SAR 461

$106 SAR 396

16.28%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$33.36 SAR 125

2.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$71.8 SAR 269

12.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$88.4 SAR 331

23.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$36.16 SAR 136

-0.25%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.46 SAR 58.0

10.93%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$346 SAR 1,298

-11.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$6,857 SAR 25.7K

10.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$60.1 SAR 225

4.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$59.9 SAR 225

14.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$79.7 SAR 299

24.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$81.1 SAR 304

-2.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$432 SAR 1,620

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$385 SAR 1,445

2.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$835 SAR 3,132

26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$616 SAR 2,308

28.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,329 SAR 8,734

3.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,345 SAR 5,043

6.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,425 SAR 5,342

36.32%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hafar Al Batin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $432 in Hafar Al Batin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 36% 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: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $201 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.

Al Khobar pays 36% more on average, 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: $437 in Al Khobar versus $432 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 47% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $346 in Hafar Al Batin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,225 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,341 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.