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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,205 in Khafji.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,838 in Khafji.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,470 in Khafji.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% more expensive than Khafji, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Khafji is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.04

$3.24 SAR 12.17

105.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$53.2 SAR 200

-0.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.19

$4.98 SAR 18.71

61.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.68

$0.92 SAR 3.45

121.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

$1.57 SAR 5.91

71.34%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.31

$2.98 SAR 11.19

45.64%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.85 SAR 3.19

10.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.37 SAR 1.39

37.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.67 SAR 6.25

1.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.10 SAR 7.90

9.52%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.97

$2.25 SAR 8.44

29.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.16

$6.06 SAR 22.74

10.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.83

$7.13 SAR 26.78

30.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.24

$9.97 SAR 37.44

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.16 SAR 8.12

15.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.53 SAR 5.75

13.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.43 SAR 5.39

55.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.59 SAR 5.97

2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.23 SAR 4.60

15.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.39 SAR 5.24

23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.30 SAR 4.90

31.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.55 SAR 2.06

14.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.80

$4.08 SAR 15.34

-36.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-10.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.93 SAR 7.23

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$8.14 SAR 30.57

-16.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.17 SAR 147

56.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$3.36 SAR 12.62

-34.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.64

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-51.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-3.17%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$23.0K SAR 86.4K

-6.39%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$21.2K SAR 79.5K

10.55%

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

$125 SAR 468

$115 SAR 433

8.27%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$38.64 SAR 145

-9.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 305

$62.6 SAR 235

29.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$86.2 SAR 323

26.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$36.34 SAR 136

0.25%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.40 SAR 57.8

14.68%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$131 SAR 492

131.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$4,039 SAR 15.2K

89.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$67.5 SAR 253

-4.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$68.2 SAR 256

1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 374

$93.4 SAR 351

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$86.4 SAR 324

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,649

$447 SAR 1,679

-1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,522

$383 SAR 1,439

5.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,832

$847 SAR 3,180

20.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,044

$619 SAR 2,323

31.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,009

$2,256 SAR 8,471

6.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,505

$1,363 SAR 5,116

7.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,987

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khafji: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $447 in Khafji. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $53.0 in Khafji. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $184, 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 12% 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 $2,019 in Al Khobar and $1,808 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $447 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 56% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $131 in Khafji. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,205 in Khafji versus $1,346 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 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.