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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,363 in Al Khobar versus $1,186 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,155 in Al Khobar versus $1,822 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Al Khobar versus $2,457 in Khafji.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 15% more expensive than Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Khafji is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.25

$3.12 SAR 11.71

107.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 SAR 203

$53.6 SAR 201

1.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$4.95 SAR 18.57

57.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$0.95 SAR 3.58

106.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$1.58 SAR 5.93

72.78%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SAR 16.24

$2.86 SAR 10.71

51.40%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$0.84 SAR 3.14

21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$0.38 SAR 1.42

36.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.12 SAR 7.95

10.38%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.21 SAR 8.28

31.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.23

$6.09 SAR 22.83

10.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.31

$7.42 SAR 27.81

23.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 SAR 46.70

$9.86 SAR 36.99

26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$2.20 SAR 8.26

11.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.55 SAR 5.80

11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$1.43 SAR 5.38

48.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.13

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.28 SAR 4.81

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.34 SAR 5.04

25.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.31 SAR 4.93

29.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.55 SAR 2.06

9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.84

$4.21 SAR 15.78

-37.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-12.88%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-3.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$7.81 SAR 29.30

-16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-16.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 SAR 230

$40.63 SAR 152

50.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$3.27 SAR 12.28

-31.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-26.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$13.39 SAR 50.2

-49.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.60 SAR 2.25

8.33%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

-6.67%

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

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

$21.1K SAR 79.0K

10.01%

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

$122 SAR 457

$117 SAR 440

3.82%

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

$35.22 SAR 132

$38.81 SAR 146

-9.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$63.5 SAR 238

26.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 408

$89.2 SAR 334

21.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.37 SAR 133

4.04%

Cinema Ticket

$17.50 SAR 65.6

$15.45 SAR 57.9

13.27%

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

$305 SAR 1,145

$134 SAR 501

128.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

$3,949 SAR 14.8K

93.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 SAR 240

$68.5 SAR 257

-6.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 SAR 261

$67.3 SAR 253

3.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 367

$90.3 SAR 339

8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$85.9 SAR 322

-6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,621

$441 SAR 1,652

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,472

$374 SAR 1,403

4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 SAR 3,881

$840 SAR 3,151

23.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SAR 3,005

$623 SAR 2,334

28.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,469 SAR 9,261

$2,657 SAR 9,965

-7.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 SAR 5,480

$1,376 SAR 5,159

6.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,921 SAR 7,202

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.33

-11.32%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: April 22, 2026

Last update for Khafji: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $441 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Al Khobar vs $54 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $186, with Khafji cheaper for home cooking.

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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khafji the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,044 in Al Khobar and $1,779 in Khafji to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $432 in Al Khobar versus $441 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Al Khobar versus $134 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,186 in Khafji versus $1,363 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji 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 Khafji 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 Khafji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.