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: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $661 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $1,044 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $1,426 in Khafji.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 114% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 3% above, Khafji is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$3.23 SAR 12.12

107.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$34.81 SAR 131

70.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$5.20 SAR 19.53

52.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$0.97 SAR 3.65

167.01%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.58 SAR 5.93

70.89%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$2.96 SAR 11.12

45.95%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.77 SAR 2.90

29.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.19 SAR 0.73

100.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.80 SAR 6.75

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.33 SAR 4.98

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$1.89 SAR 7.09

28.57%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$2.20 SAR 8.27

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.72

$7.28 SAR 27.35

-2.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.48

$7.93 SAR 29.79

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.13

$12.91 SAR 48.47

-8.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.23 SAR 8.37

24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.63 SAR 6.13

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.42

$1.63 SAR 6.13

20.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.61 SAR 6.04

13.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.12 SAR 4.22

20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.15 SAR 4.33

41.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.27 SAR 4.78

32.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.57 SAR 2.14

-3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$4.05 SAR 15.21

-35.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.50 SAR 5.63

6.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-15.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$7.78 SAR 29.23

-15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.78

$2.72 SAR 10.20

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$13.25 SAR 49.76

-49.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

$66.2K SAR 248.5K

1.60%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

3.53%

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

$100 SAR 376

$131 SAR 490

-23.18%

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

$32.10 SAR 121

$32.66 SAR 123

-1.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$62.7 SAR 236

8.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.6

$13.20 SAR 49.58

18.11%

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

$590 SAR 2,216

$135 SAR 508

336.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$3,942 SAR 14.8K

117.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$42.63 SAR 160

46.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$49.91 SAR 187

67.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$98.1 SAR 368

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$91.2 SAR 343

0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$678 SAR 2,546

-4.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.9

-0.34%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Khafji: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $678 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $35.00 in Khafji for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $201 per month, with Khafji 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 Khafji: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khafji wins on cost – living expenses run 114% 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 $2,122 in Al Khobar and $992 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $678 in Khafji. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $135 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Khafji – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $59.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Khafji versus $1,415 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 114% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.