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: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,050 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,650 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,251 in Jubail.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 28% more expensive than Jubail, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Jubail is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$6.48 SAR 24.31

4.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$40.19 SAR 151

30.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$9.29 SAR 34.84

-15.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.82 SAR 6.83

11.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$2.85 SAR 10.70

-4.21%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.39 SAR 12.71

24.78%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.83 SAR 3.10

22.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.26 SAR 0.97

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.77 SAR 6.65

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.98 SAR 3.68

36.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.63 SAR 6.11

47.24%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.52 SAR 9.44

11.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$8.20 SAR 30.76

-16.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$6.89 SAR 25.85

31.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$11.19 SAR 41.96

10.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.32 SAR 8.72

4.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.71 SAR 6.40

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.58 SAR 5.91

39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.43 SAR 5.37

13.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.12 SAR 4.20

27.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.30 SAR 4.86

32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.38 SAR 5.17

23.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-7.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.91 SAR 10.92

-6.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.98 SAR 7.42

-25.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-23.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.02 SAR 26.33

-6.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-6.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$25.13 SAR 94.2

136.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$4.08 SAR 15.32

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-29.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$17.01 SAR 63.8

-60.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

3.72%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

-4.70%

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

$123 SAR 461

$98.8 SAR 371

24.36%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$31.97 SAR 120

7.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$65.1 SAR 244

24.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$88.0 SAR 330

24.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$35.90 SAR 135

0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$13.89 SAR 52.1

23.47%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$202 SAR 759

51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

-9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$38.63 SAR 145

62.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$62.2 SAR 233

10.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$83.4 SAR 313

18.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$79.4 SAR 298

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$403 SAR 1,513

8.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$277 SAR 1,039

42.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$655 SAR 2,456

60.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$505 SAR 1,892

56.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,522 SAR 9,458

-4.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,316 SAR 4,934

8.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,602 SAR 6,008

21.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

5.33

-27.95%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $403 in Jubail. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 21% 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 $40.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $191 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 28% 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.

Al Khobar pays 21% 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 $403 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 137% 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 $202 in Jubail. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,341 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 28% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.