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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,087 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,707 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,328 in Qatif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 22% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Qatif 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$3.44 SAR 12.94

88.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$47.42 SAR 178

12.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$8.05 SAR 30.22

-3.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.86 SAR 6.97

8.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.82 SAR 6.83

45.05%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.46

$3.66 SAR 13.73

19.67%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.77 SAR 2.91

32.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.65 SAR 6.20

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.81 SAR 3.04

71.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.03 SAR 7.64

18.23%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.32 SAR 8.73

21.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$6.03 SAR 22.64

10.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$7.38 SAR 27.72

21.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$9.67 SAR 36.30

31.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.12 SAR 7.95

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.48 SAR 5.56

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.44 SAR 5.42

49.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$0.75 SAR 2.83

109.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.26 SAR 4.74

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.35 SAR 5.05

22.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.10 SAR 4.13

55.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.55 SAR 2.08

5.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.73 SAR 10.27

-4.40%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.58 SAR 5.93

-10.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-13.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-12.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.26 SAR 147

56.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.39

$3.12 SAR 11.72

-28.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-19.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-48.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-5.87%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

16.81%

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

$122 SAR 458

$104 SAR 392

16.82%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$37.20 SAR 140

-8.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$59.6 SAR 224

36.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$94.2 SAR 354

13.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$56.9 SAR 214

-35.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.36 SAR 57.7

11.46%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$405 SAR 1,521

-25.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

-5.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$51.3 SAR 192

24.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$50.9 SAR 191

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$91.5 SAR 343

9.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$85.8 SAR 322

-9.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$360 SAR 1,351

19.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$281 SAR 1,054

40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,939

$717 SAR 2,693

46.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$486 SAR 1,826

64.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$949 SAR 3,563

151.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$796 SAR 2,990

83.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$2,248 SAR 8,440

-18.92%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $360 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: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $47.00 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 22% 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $360 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 57% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $405 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,087 in Qatif versus $1,323 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 22% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.