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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,121 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,674 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,228 in Rabigh.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 18% more expensive than in Rabigh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Rabigh 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$4.04 SAR 15.16

60.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$21.35 SAR 80.2

148.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.20

$7.26 SAR 27.25

7.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.36 SAR 5.11

48.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$0.77 SAR 2.90

242.86%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$2.42 SAR 9.08

80.99%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.66 SAR 2.47

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.13 SAR 0.49

292.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.35 SAR 5.06

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.26 SAR 0.98

434.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.29 SAR 8.61

4.80%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.20 SAR 8.25

28.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$5.23 SAR 19.63

26.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$4.71 SAR 17.68

90.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.81

$12.71 SAR 47.73

0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.12 SAR 7.96

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.62 SAR 6.09

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.57 SAR 5.88

36.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.35 SAR 5.07

16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.33 SAR 4.98

6.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.26 SAR 4.74

31.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.07 SAR 4.01

59.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$4.13 SAR 15.49

-36.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.96 SAR 7.37

-27.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$2.53 SAR 9.50

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$2.63 SAR 9.86

151.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.05 SAR 3.92

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.83 SAR 150

54.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$3.23 SAR 12.11

-30.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.84 SAR 6.91

-28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$15.17 SAR 57.0

-55.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.63 SAR 2.35

3.17%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

-20.99%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

7.28%

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

$122 SAR 457

$107 SAR 403

13.58%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$31.87 SAR 120

7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 305

$70.1 SAR 263

16.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$86.6 SAR 325

22.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$35.88 SAR 135

2.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$13.39 SAR 50.3

27.86%

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

$301 SAR 1,128

$402 SAR 1,508

-25.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$6,413 SAR 24.1K

19.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$64.7 SAR 243

-1.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$57.9 SAR 217

19.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$94.2 SAR 354

6.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$85.1 SAR 319

-8.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$284 SAR 1,064

51.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,478

$387 SAR 1,453

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,937

$523 SAR 1,965

100.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,003

$622 SAR 2,334

28.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,953

$2,685 SAR 10.1K

-11.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,478

$1,488 SAR 5,585

-1.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,841

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $284 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 $216 vs $163 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 18% 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 $1,985 in Al Khobar and $1,681 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $284 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 55% 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 $402 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,121 in Rabigh versus $1,323 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 18% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.