Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Jubail Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Jubail

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Al Khobar versus $1,085 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,207 in Al Khobar versus $1,689 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,010 in Al Khobar versus $2,294 in Jubail.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 29% more expensive than in Jubail, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Jubail is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 SAR 25.77

$6.64 SAR 24.92

3.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 SAR 225

$40.76 SAR 153

46.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.62

$8.99 SAR 33.77

-12.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 SAR 10.32

$1.84 SAR 6.90

49.46%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.33 SAR 8.75

12.45%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.28

$4.01 SAR 15.04

8.23%

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

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-3.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.28 SAR 1.06

46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.57 SAR 5.90

3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-9.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 SAR 9.30

$1.60 SAR 6.01

55.00%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$2.09 SAR 7.85

11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.20

$9.35 SAR 35.11

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.82

$6.13 SAR 23.01

64.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 SAR 43.40

$10.77 SAR 40.44

7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.45

$2.17 SAR 8.14

28.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-6.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.56 SAR 5.84

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$1.68 SAR 6.32

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.30 SAR 4.89

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.39 SAR 5.23

18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$0.52 SAR 1.95

11.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-9.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-20.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$1.99 SAR 7.47

-7.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$6.66 SAR 25.02

-1.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 SAR 251

$24.33 SAR 91.4

174.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 SAR 12.86

$3.27 SAR 12.29

4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$2.62 SAR 9.84

3.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.76

$13.25 SAR 49.77

-50.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.65 SAR 2.42

-3.08%

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

$67.6K SAR 254.0K

$45.3K SAR 170.0K

49.38%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

4.65%

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

$97.5 SAR 366

$79.0 SAR 297

23.37%

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

$33.42 SAR 125

$27.36 SAR 103

22.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 267

$65.6 SAR 246

8.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.8 SAR 307

$101 SAR 378

-18.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 SAR 135

$39.83 SAR 150

-9.47%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 SAR 57.3

$13.23 SAR 49.66

15.34%

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

$613 SAR 2,301

$181 SAR 680

238.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,518 SAR 32.0K

$7,876 SAR 29.6K

8.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$41.40 SAR 155

55.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.7 SAR 318

$59.3 SAR 223

42.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$82.2 SAR 309

18.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 SAR 346

$87.0 SAR 327

5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$425 SAR 1,595

51.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,870

$291 SAR 1,093

71.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 SAR 4,398

$651 SAR 2,445

79.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,256

$537 SAR 2,015

61.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 SAR 9,069

$2,726 SAR 10.2K

-11.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 SAR 5,534

$1,373 SAR 5,153

7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 SAR 6,824

$1,570 SAR 5,896

15.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.62

4.63%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: August 17, 2026

Last update for Jubail: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $425 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 16% 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 $41.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $192 per month, with Jubail 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 Jubail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 16% 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $425 in Jubail. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 175% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $613 in Al Khobar versus $181 in Jubail. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,085 in Jubail versus $1,404 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail 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 Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.