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: $1,363 in Al Khobar versus $1,153 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,155 in Al Khobar versus $1,677 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,946 in Al Khobar versus $2,202 in Rabigh.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Rabigh is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.25

$3.95 SAR 14.81

63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 SAR 203

$21.47 SAR 80.5

152.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.30 SAR 27.38

6.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

$1.37 SAR 5.12

43.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$0.76 SAR 2.86

259.21%

Cappuccino

$4.33 SAR 16.24

$2.47 SAR 9.25

75.30%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$0.70 SAR 2.61

45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 SAR 1.96

$0.12 SAR 0.46

333.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.35 SAR 5.07

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$0.26 SAR 0.97

407.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.31 SAR 8.68

1.30%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.22 SAR 8.31

31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.23

$5.26 SAR 19.74

27.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 SAR 34.31

$4.77 SAR 17.88

91.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 SAR 46.70

$12.66 SAR 47.47

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.22

$2.09 SAR 7.83

17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.63 SAR 6.11

6.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$1.61 SAR 6.04

31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.13

$1.35 SAR 5.08

21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.25 SAR 4.70

14.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.26 SAR 4.72

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.06 SAR 3.99

59.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.58 SAR 2.19

3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.84

$4.20 SAR 15.77

-37.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.98 SAR 7.41

-28.28%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

$2.53 SAR 9.49

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$2.70 SAR 10.12

142.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.32

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-14.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 SAR 230

$39.44 SAR 148

55.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$3.14 SAR 11.77

-28.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-25.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 SAR 25.44

$15.24 SAR 57.2

-55.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.59 SAR 2.21

10.17%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-18.88%

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

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

$21.3K SAR 79.7K

8.95%

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

$122 SAR 457

$105 SAR 393

16.26%

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

$35.22 SAR 132

$32.00 SAR 120

10.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 SAR 302

$69.0 SAR 259

16.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 408

$86.2 SAR 323

26.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.52 SAR 133

3.60%

Cinema Ticket

$17.50 SAR 65.6

$13.15 SAR 49.32

33.08%

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

$305 SAR 1,145

$409 SAR 1,533

-25.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

$6,615 SAR 24.8K

15.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 SAR 240

$64.1 SAR 240

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 SAR 261

$58.8 SAR 220

18.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 SAR 367

$93.2 SAR 350

5.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$84.3 SAR 316

-5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 SAR 1,621

$283 SAR 1,061

52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 SAR 1,472

$380 SAR 1,424

3.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 SAR 3,881

$529 SAR 1,985

95.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 SAR 3,005

$632 SAR 2,370

26.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,469 SAR 9,261

$2,036 SAR 7,634

21.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 SAR 5,480

$1,187 SAR 4,450

23.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,921 SAR 7,202

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $432 in Al Khobar and $283 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Al Khobar vs $21 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 $2,044 in Al Khobar and $1,729 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: $432 in Al Khobar versus $283 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 $305 in Al Khobar versus $409 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,363 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.