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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,055 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,678 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,301 in Qatif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 27% more expensive than Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Qatif is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$3.39 SAR 12.71

100.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$48.21 SAR 181

8.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$8.10 SAR 30.38

-3.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.88 SAR 7.05

7.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.84 SAR 6.89

48.37%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.53 SAR 13.23

19.83%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.77 SAR 2.89

32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.26 SAR 0.97

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.65 SAR 6.18

7.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.80 SAR 3.01

67.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.10 SAR 7.89

14.29%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.33 SAR 8.73

21.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.20 SAR 23.26

10.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$7.16 SAR 26.83

26.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$10.02 SAR 37.58

23.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.14 SAR 8.01

13.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.54 SAR 5.76

12.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.44 SAR 5.38

53.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$0.72 SAR 2.68

125.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.28 SAR 4.78

11.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.33 SAR 4.99

29.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.11 SAR 4.15

54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.51 SAR 1.90

15.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.60 SAR 9.73

4.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.57 SAR 5.87

-6.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.99 SAR 7.48

-6.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.51 SAR 28.17

-12.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-16.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$39.91 SAR 150

49.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$3.12 SAR 11.71

-29.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-16.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.41 SAR 50.3

-50.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.63 SAR 2.37

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

-6.58%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

17.64%

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

$123 SAR 461

$103 SAR 387

19.01%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$37.05 SAR 139

-7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$58.9 SAR 221

37.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$95.3 SAR 357

14.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$57.2 SAR 214

-36.93%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.22 SAR 57.1

12.68%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$392 SAR 1,470

-22.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$8,106 SAR 30.4K

-6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$52.4 SAR 196

20.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$50.8 SAR 190

35.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$91.5 SAR 343

8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$85.4 SAR 320

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$356 SAR 1,333

22.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$282 SAR 1,058

39.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$710 SAR 2,661

48.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$495 SAR 1,855

59.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$943 SAR 3,537

155.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$776 SAR 2,910

84.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,869 SAR 7,009

3.90%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Qatif: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $356 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 4% 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: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $48.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $173 per month, with Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Qatif wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qatif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Al Khobar pays 4% more on average, 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: $437 in Al Khobar versus $356 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 49% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $392 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,055 in Qatif versus $1,341 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif 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 Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.