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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,451 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,853 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,255 in Medina.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 8% less than in Medina, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 0% above, Medina 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.60

$5.72 SAR 21.48

19.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$31.52 SAR 118

71.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.94 SAR 29.82

3.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.57 SAR 5.88

26.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.69 SAR 6.36

59.76%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.01

$2.45 SAR 9.19

73.88%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.78 SAR 2.92

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.42 SAR 1.57

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.60 SAR 6.02

5.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.97 SAR 3.66

44.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.05 SAR 7.71

40.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.05

$6.72 SAR 25.23

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$7.09 SAR 26.61

28.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.34

$12.44 SAR 46.72

1.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.35 SAR 8.82

8.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$2.07 SAR 7.79

-16.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-4.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-8.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.46 SAR 5.47

17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$0.98 SAR 3.68

73.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.88 SAR 3.29

-31.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$1.36 SAR 5.10

98.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-16.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$1.62 SAR 6.10

16.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.45

$7.61 SAR 28.57

-14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$37.08 SAR 139

61.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$1.32 SAR 4.94

71.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.65 SAR 6.21

-18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$5.59 SAR 20.99

18.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.65 SAR 2.44

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

1.86%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

5.74%

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

$124 SAR 466

$203 SAR 763

-38.99%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$33.06 SAR 124

4.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$104 SAR 392

-22.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$75.9 SAR 285

44.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$9.10 SAR 34.18

304.40%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$13.49 SAR 50.7

28.69%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$287 SAR 1,078

6.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

2.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$37.64 SAR 141

68.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$53.3 SAR 200

30.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$66.9 SAR 251

49.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$98.6 SAR 370

-18.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$435 SAR 1,633

-0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$554 SAR 2,082

-27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$712 SAR 2,674

48.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$419 SAR 1,574

94.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,267 SAR 8,513

7.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,344 SAR 5,046

5.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,971

$1,339 SAR 5,030

38.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

28.00%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $435 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $32.00 in Medina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $199 per month, with Medina 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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Medina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $435 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 62% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $287 in Medina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,451 in Medina, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Medina. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar 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 Medina 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.