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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,090 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $1,731 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $2,372 in Rabigh.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 30% more expensive than in Rabigh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 3% above, Rabigh is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$6.63 SAR 24.91

0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$54.0 SAR 203

9.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$8.49 SAR 31.87

-6.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$2.52 SAR 9.46

2.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$2.59 SAR 9.72

4.25%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$3.70 SAR 13.91

16.76%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$1.04 SAR 3.89

-3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.24 SAR 0.90

58.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.28 SAR 4.80

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.23 SAR 8.38

8.97%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$2.40 SAR 9.01

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.72

$6.27 SAR 23.56

13.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.48

$8.03 SAR 30.15

27.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.13

$13.15 SAR 49.40

-10.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.03 SAR 7.63

36.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.69 SAR 6.33

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.42

$1.57 SAR 5.90

25.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.62 SAR 6.10

12.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.12 SAR 4.21

20.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.34 SAR 5.04

21.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.07 SAR 4.02

57.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.50 SAR 1.89

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$4.21 SAR 15.82

-38.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-14.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$6.52 SAR 24.48

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$1.00 SAR 3.77

-26.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

$30.97 SAR 116

114.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.78

$3.16 SAR 11.86

7.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$1.69 SAR 6.34

55.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$13.67 SAR 51.4

-50.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-6.25%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

$48.0K SAR 180.2K

40.11%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$21.8K SAR 81.8K

2.25%

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

$100 SAR 376

0.17%

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

$32.10 SAR 121

$38.76 SAR 146

-17.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$67.2 SAR 252

1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

$79.9 SAR 300

2.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$32.10 SAR 121

12.15%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.6

$12.12 SAR 45.50

28.63%

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

$590 SAR 2,216

$730 SAR 2,740

-19.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$16.2K SAR 60.7K

-46.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$68.9 SAR 259

-9.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$59.1 SAR 222

41.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$96.8 SAR 364

-1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$98.1 SAR 368

-6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$327 SAR 1,227

97.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

$240 SAR 902

106.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

$609 SAR 2,287

95.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

$424 SAR 1,592

106.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

$2,584 SAR 9,704

-7.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

$1,180 SAR 4,430

24.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.39

9.09%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $327 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $198 per month, with Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rabigh wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rabigh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,122 in Al Khobar and $1,635 in Rabigh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $645 in Al Khobar versus $327 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 115% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $730 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,090 in Rabigh versus $1,415 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh 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 Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.