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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,080 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,638 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,196 in Qatif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 33% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Qatif is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$3.56 SAR 13.38

91.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$35.17 SAR 132

71.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.67 SAR 25.07

17.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$1.89 SAR 7.10

42.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$2.20 SAR 8.27

18.18%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$2.95 SAR 11.07

51.53%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.73 SAR 2.73

35.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.15 SAR 0.58

173.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-7.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.94 SAR 3.53

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$1.95 SAR 7.31

29.74%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.11 SAR 7.93

11.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$5.70 SAR 21.42

26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$7.80 SAR 29.31

28.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$12.98 SAR 48.76

-8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.18 SAR 8.20

26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.72 SAR 6.45

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.59 SAR 5.96

28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$0.64 SAR 2.39

182.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.12 SAR 4.21

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.10 SAR 4.12

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$0.91 SAR 3.41

89.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.50 SAR 1.89

18.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-0.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.49 SAR 5.61

6.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-11.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.62 SAR 24.85

3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$36.12 SAR 136

90.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.36 SAR 8.86

41.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$0.51 SAR 1.92

419.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.10 SAR 49.20

-48.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.61 SAR 2.30

-1.64%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

89.37%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

6.78%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$103 SAR 388

-4.45%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$33.42 SAR 126

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$58.3 SAR 219

17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$82.7 SAR 311

-0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$37.55 SAR 141

-2.82%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.21 SAR 49.60

13.93%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$270 SAR 1,015

125.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

7.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$31.48 SAR 118

101.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$20.90 SAR 78.5

291.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$94.6 SAR 355

2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$90.4 SAR 340

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$574 SAR 2,157

11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$346 SAR 1,298

47.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$873 SAR 3,281

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$547 SAR 2,055

55.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,134

$951 SAR 3,573

155.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$783 SAR 2,942

87.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$2,249 SAR 8,448

-18.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.5

6.91%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $574 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $35.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $184 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 33% 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.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Qatif. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $642 in Al Khobar versus $574 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 90% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $270 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,434 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 33% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.