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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,739 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $2,521 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $3,304 in Riyadh.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 23% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 0% above, Riyadh 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$8.21 SAR 30.82

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$53.0 SAR 199

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$8.11 SAR 30.45

-0.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.71 SAR 6.41

18.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$2.23 SAR 8.37

21.97%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$4.09 SAR 15.34

5.62%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.71 SAR 2.66

40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.29 SAR 1.07

75.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.68 SAR 6.30

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.28 SAR 4.79

7.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.73 SAR 10.23

6.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$8.64 SAR 32.44

-23.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$10.02 SAR 37.62

-8.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$14.57 SAR 54.7

-12.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.35 SAR 8.82

6.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.75 SAR 6.56

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.85 SAR 6.93

14.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.53 SAR 5.73

7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.29 SAR 4.82

10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.47 SAR 5.50

13.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.45 SAR 5.44

21.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.53 SAR 1.99

16.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$8.16 SAR 30.61

-67.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-16.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-17.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$7.54 SAR 28.29

-10.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$36.73 SAR 138

67.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$3.28 SAR 12.29

-31.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.85 SAR 6.95

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.49 SAR 50.6

-51.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.36

-4.76%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$34.1K SAR 128.0K

-37.99%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

-3.23%

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

$123 SAR 461

$104 SAR 391

17.79%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$34.25 SAR 129

1.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$77.0 SAR 289

4.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$105 SAR 394

1.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$58.3 SAR 219

-38.10%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$16.17 SAR 60.7

9.21%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$457 SAR 1,716

-32.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

-22.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$59.5 SAR 223

7.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$64.1 SAR 241

9.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$107 SAR 400

-7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$100 SAR 376

-19.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$1,072 SAR 4,023

-59.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$841 SAR 3,158

-52.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$2,027 SAR 7,608

-49.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$1,090 SAR 4,092

-27.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

-21.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,931 SAR 7,246

-24.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$2,252 SAR 8,452

-17.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

5.31

-27.68%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 21% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $53.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $226 per month, with Al Khobar 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Riyadh earns 21% less. 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $1,072 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 68% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $457 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,344 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar and Riyadh 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.