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: $1,402 in Al Khobar versus $1,331 in Medina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,205 in Al Khobar versus $1,792 in Medina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,008 in Al Khobar versus $2,254 in Medina.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 5% more expensive than in Medina, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Medina is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 SAR 24.53

$5.47 SAR 20.53

19.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 SAR 225

$31.95 SAR 120

87.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 SAR 29.18

$7.79 SAR 29.25

-0.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 SAR 10.00

$1.62 SAR 6.09

64.20%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.70 SAR 6.38

58.82%

Cappuccino

$4.49 SAR 16.88

$2.61 SAR 9.79

72.03%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.78 SAR 2.91

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.25 SAR 0.94

64.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.47 SAR 5.53

11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$0.90 SAR 3.39

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.38 SAR 8.95

3.36%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.07 SAR 7.77

15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$5.20 SAR 19.52

38.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 SAR 37.21

$7.00 SAR 26.28

41.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 SAR 43.59

$12.75 SAR 47.87

-8.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SAR 10.01

$2.45 SAR 9.19

8.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.89 SAR 7.11

-7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 SAR 7.70

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-12.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.54 SAR 5.80

18.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.40 SAR 5.26

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.34 SAR 5.05

23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$0.90 SAR 3.38

82.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.74 SAR 2.78

-22.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$1.28 SAR 4.82

105.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.47 SAR 5.51

11.56%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$1.57 SAR 5.88

20.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$7.46 SAR 28.02

-11.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 SAR 253

$36.80 SAR 138

82.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.21

$1.35 SAR 5.06

140.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.69 SAR 6.35

60.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$5.60 SAR 21.01

21.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

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

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

59.24%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

8.49%

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

$98.6 SAR 370

$151 SAR 568

-34.85%

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

$32.61 SAR 122

$27.95 SAR 105

16.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 SAR 264

$90.2 SAR 339

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 SAR 300

$78.4 SAR 294

1.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.21 SAR 136

$8.80 SAR 33.06

311.48%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 SAR 56.9

$13.20 SAR 49.57

14.77%

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

$600 SAR 2,253

$291 SAR 1,091

106.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

51.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 SAR 238

$37.44 SAR 141

69.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.4 SAR 306

$53.3 SAR 200

52.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 SAR 366

$65.9 SAR 247

47.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 SAR 347

$68.5 SAR 257

35.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,328

$562 SAR 2,110

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 SAR 1,872

$524 SAR 1,968

-4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 SAR 4,445

$753 SAR 2,826

57.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,180

$564 SAR 2,119

50.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,054

$2,260 SAR 8,487

6.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,342

$1,314 SAR 4,933

8.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,843 SAR 6,920

$1,326 SAR 4,980

38.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

4.17

41.01%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Al Khobar and $562 in Medina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $32.00 in Medina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $190 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

Medina wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medina 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: $620 in Al Khobar versus $562 in Medina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medina runs roughly 83% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $600 in Al Khobar versus $291 in Medina. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,331 in Medina versus $1,402 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Medina but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Medina 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 Medina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.