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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,148 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,667 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,186 in Rabigh.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 17% more expensive than Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Rabigh is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$3.90 SAR 14.63

71.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$21.09 SAR 79.1

149.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.15 SAR 26.82

12.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.31 SAR 4.93

55.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$0.76 SAR 2.87

253.95%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$2.42 SAR 9.06

79.34%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.64 SAR 2.39

46.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.11 SAR 0.42

363.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.30 SAR 4.88

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$0.28 SAR 1.06

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-1.71%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.22 SAR 8.32

31.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$5.48 SAR 20.56

22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$4.94 SAR 18.55

87.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$12.57 SAR 47.16

0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.18 SAR 8.17

14.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.60 SAR 6.00

8.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.58 SAR 5.92

41.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.30 SAR 4.87

25.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.33 SAR 4.98

6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.25 SAR 4.70

37.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.09 SAR 4.10

56.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.56 SAR 2.09

12.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$4.14 SAR 15.53

-36.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.87 SAR 7.00

-21.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.52 SAR 9.45

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$2.72 SAR 10.21

150.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-7.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$40.05 SAR 150

52.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-33.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-56.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.59 SAR 2.23

3.39%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-20.43%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

6.10%

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

$125 SAR 468

$107 SAR 402

16.45%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$32.50 SAR 122

7.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$69.0 SAR 259

17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$87.0 SAR 326

25.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$35.38 SAR 133

2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$13.54 SAR 50.8

30.43%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$401 SAR 1,504

-24.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$63.6 SAR 239

1.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$58.4 SAR 219

18.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$93.5 SAR 351

6.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$82.9 SAR 311

-5.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$282 SAR 1,059

55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$382 SAR 1,434

6.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$523 SAR 1,962

95.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$620 SAR 2,326

30.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,005 SAR 7,525

19.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,394 SAR 5,231

5.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.5

-14.67%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $282 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $21.00 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $164 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 17% 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 $2,019 in Al Khobar and $1,722 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $282 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 53% 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 $401 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.