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: $1,353 in Al Khobar versus $1,049 in Jubail.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,112 in Al Khobar versus $1,657 in Jubail.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,870 in Al Khobar versus $2,264 in Jubail.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 1% above, Jubail is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.80

$6.59 SAR 24.74

0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$39.56 SAR 148

36.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$9.35 SAR 35.10

-13.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.82 SAR 6.83

8.24%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$2.91 SAR 10.90

-10.65%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.86

$3.23 SAR 12.14

30.96%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$0.78 SAR 2.92

20.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.81

$0.26 SAR 0.97

84.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.79 SAR 6.71

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.01 SAR 3.78

38.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.90

$1.61 SAR 6.03

47.20%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.50 SAR 9.38

13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.79 SAR 25.46

$8.20 SAR 30.76

-17.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.33

$6.89 SAR 25.85

32.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 SAR 46.09

$10.98 SAR 41.20

11.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.39

$2.37 SAR 8.89

5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.64 SAR 6.16

5.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.58 SAR 5.92

39.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.35 SAR 5.08

17.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.18 SAR 4.44

26.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.34 SAR 5.03

29.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.41 SAR 5.29

24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.25

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$2.88 SAR 10.80

-6.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

$2.02 SAR 7.56

-26.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.38 SAR 8.95

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$7.26 SAR 27.24

-7.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$0.91 SAR 3.43

-2.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 SAR 224

$26.04 SAR 97.7

128.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$4.09 SAR 15.36

-45.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-26.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$17.44 SAR 65.4

-60.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.59 SAR 2.23

6.78%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

$19.9K SAR 74.6K

9.33%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

$24.1K SAR 90.5K

-4.06%

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

$122 SAR 457

$98.4 SAR 369

23.83%

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

$34.14 SAR 128

$31.88 SAR 120

7.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$65.1 SAR 244

23.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SAR 404

$88.0 SAR 330

22.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.22 SAR 136

$35.61 SAR 134

1.71%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 SAR 64.2

$14.00 SAR 52.5

22.14%

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

$311 SAR 1,169

$205 SAR 769

51.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

$8,430 SAR 31.6K

-8.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$38.03 SAR 143

69.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.1 SAR 267

$62.8 SAR 236

13.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 SAR 372

$81.7 SAR 307

21.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.7 SAR 303

$78.4 SAR 294

2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,619

$406 SAR 1,525

6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,476

$278 SAR 1,044

41.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,052 SAR 3,949

$639 SAR 2,400

64.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$804 SAR 3,016

$493 SAR 1,850

63.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 SAR 8,910

$2,528 SAR 9,486

-6.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 SAR 5,464

$1,314 SAR 4,931

10.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,847 SAR 6,931

$1,593 SAR 5,979

15.92%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Jubail: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $406 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: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Jubail for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $190 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.

Al Khobar pays 16% 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: $432 in Al Khobar versus $406 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 129% 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 $205 in Jubail. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,049 in Jubail versus $1,353 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.