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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,059 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,673 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,288 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

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$3.41 SAR 12.81

95.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$47.01 SAR 176

12.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.87 SAR 29.55

2.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.86 SAR 6.96

9.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.89 SAR 7.11

42.33%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$3.55 SAR 13.31

22.25%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.82 SAR 3.07

14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.26 SAR 0.98

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$0.81 SAR 3.02

72.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.01 SAR 7.53

14.43%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.33 SAR 8.73

25.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$6.30 SAR 23.62

6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$7.15 SAR 26.82

29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$10.02 SAR 37.61

25.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.09 SAR 7.83

19.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.47 SAR 5.51

18.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.40 SAR 5.27

59.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$0.70 SAR 2.64

132.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.28 SAR 4.80

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.38 SAR 5.16

24.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.15 SAR 4.30

48.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.51 SAR 1.90

23.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-1.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.55 SAR 5.80

-5.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.93 SAR 7.24

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$7.82 SAR 29.33

-12.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.34 SAR 148

55.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$3.26 SAR 12.24

-32.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-19.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.20 SAR 49.52

-50.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.26

1.67%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-3.17%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$19.8K SAR 74.2K

18.46%

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

$125 SAR 468

$105 SAR 396

18.33%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$36.22 SAR 136

-3.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$61.0 SAR 229

32.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$95.3 SAR 358

14.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$57.3 SAR 215

-36.37%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.49 SAR 58.1

14.01%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$393 SAR 1,476

-22.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$8,396 SAR 31.5K

-9.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$52.8 SAR 198

22.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$51.1 SAR 192

35.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$91.3 SAR 343

8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$86.2 SAR 323

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$361 SAR 1,355

21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$290 SAR 1,088

39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$695 SAR 2,606

46.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$483 SAR 1,811

68.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$963 SAR 3,612

149.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$780 SAR 2,927

87.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$2,308 SAR 8,661

-19.38%

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 Qatif: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $361 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $47.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 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.

On paper, Qatif earns 24% less. 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $361 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 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 $393 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,059 in Qatif versus $1,346 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.