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: $1,355 in Al Khobar versus $1,184 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,119 in Al Khobar versus $1,816 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,883 in Al Khobar versus $2,449 in Khafji.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 14% more expensive than in Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 1% above, Khafji is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 SAR 24.61

$3.29 SAR 12.35

99.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 SAR 204

$54.2 SAR 203

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.76

$5.21 SAR 19.53

52.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$0.96 SAR 3.60

107.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$1.63 SAR 6.14

66.26%

Cappuccino

$4.19 SAR 15.71

$3.01 SAR 11.29

39.20%

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

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.85 SAR 3.20

14.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 SAR 1.79

$0.37 SAR 1.39

29.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.70 SAR 6.38

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.20

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-4.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.10 SAR 7.88

8.57%

Eggs

$2.93 SAR 10.99

$2.19 SAR 8.23

33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.77 SAR 25.41

$6.23 SAR 23.36

8.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 SAR 34.79

$7.17 SAR 26.92

29.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.78

$9.87 SAR 37.02

28.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 SAR 9.16

$2.12 SAR 7.94

15.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.72

$1.54 SAR 5.77

16.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$1.46 SAR 5.48

50.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.59 SAR 5.95

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.52

$1.22 SAR 4.58

20.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.34 SAR 5.01

23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.35 SAR 5.08

25.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.55 SAR 2.07

12.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$4.26 SAR 15.99

-36.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-10.83%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$1.94 SAR 7.29

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.27

$8.06 SAR 30.23

-19.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 SAR 226

$39.42 SAR 148

52.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$3.40 SAR 12.75

-34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.09

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-26.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 SAR 25.37

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-49.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.63 SAR 2.38

1.59%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

-4.47%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

10.23%

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

$123 SAR 460

$118 SAR 442

4.02%

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

$34.44 SAR 129

$38.00 SAR 143

-9.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.1 SAR 308

$63.3 SAR 238

29.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$86.2 SAR 323

23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 SAR 136

$35.90 SAR 135

1.09%

Cinema Ticket

$17.20 SAR 64.6

$15.50 SAR 58.2

10.97%

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

$308 SAR 1,155

$134 SAR 502

130.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,694 SAR 28.9K

$4,072 SAR 15.3K

88.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 SAR 236

$67.3 SAR 253

-6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.4 SAR 264

$67.7 SAR 254

4.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 SAR 368

$93.2 SAR 350

5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.6 SAR 302

$84.0 SAR 315

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 SAR 1,652

$444 SAR 1,665

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,520

$382 SAR 1,432

6.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 SAR 3,856

$845 SAR 3,170

21.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 SAR 2,941

$633 SAR 2,374

23.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 SAR 9,055

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 SAR 5,499

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,820 SAR 6,831

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Khafji: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Al Khobar and $444 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $185, 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 14% 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 $2,033 in Al Khobar and $1,775 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: $440 in Al Khobar versus $444 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 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $308 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 $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,355 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 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.