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: $1,402 in Al Khobar versus $1,736 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,205 in Al Khobar versus $2,592 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,008 in Al Khobar versus $3,447 in Riyadh.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 19% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 2% above, Riyadh 26% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.53 SAR 24.53

$7.72 SAR 28.99

-15.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 SAR 225

$64.3 SAR 241

-6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 SAR 29.18

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-7.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 SAR 10.00

$1.81 SAR 6.79

46.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$2.84 SAR 10.67

-4.93%

Cappuccino

$4.49 SAR 16.88

$4.38 SAR 16.44

2.51%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$0.86 SAR 3.23

5.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.34 SAR 1.28

20.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.32 SAR 4.95

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 SAR 9.24

$2.42 SAR 9.07

1.65%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$3.27 SAR 12.29

-26.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.18 SAR 26.95

$9.55 SAR 35.87

-24.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 SAR 37.21

$9.80 SAR 36.81

1.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.61 SAR 43.59

$15.00 SAR 56.3

-22.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 SAR 10.01

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-8.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 SAR 7.70

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-11.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.72 SAR 6.44

6.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.11 SAR 4.16

25.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.39 SAR 5.21

18.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-4.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-3.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$8.02 SAR 30.12

-67.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-8.89%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-23.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-9.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 SAR 253

$37.11 SAR 139

81.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 SAR 12.21

$3.26 SAR 12.25

-0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$1.84 SAR 6.89

47.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 SAR 25.57

$13.30 SAR 49.94

-48.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.59 SAR 2.20

6.78%

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

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

$35.4K SAR 133.0K

85.16%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

$22.3K SAR 83.8K

-1.88%

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

$98.6 SAR 370

$95.6 SAR 359

3.10%

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

$32.61 SAR 122

$31.83 SAR 120

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 SAR 264

$70.0 SAR 263

0.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 SAR 300

$91.6 SAR 344

-12.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.21 SAR 136

$54.8 SAR 206

-33.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.15 SAR 56.9

$13.76 SAR 51.7

10.10%

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

$600 SAR 2,253

$539 SAR 2,023

11.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

$11.1K SAR 41.8K

-25.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 SAR 238

$59.9 SAR 225

5.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.4 SAR 306

$58.4 SAR 219

39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 SAR 366

$111 SAR 415

-11.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 SAR 347

$104 SAR 391

-11.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,328

$1,189 SAR 4,464

-47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$499 SAR 1,872

$851 SAR 3,195

-41.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 SAR 4,445

$2,177 SAR 8,174

-45.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,180

$1,274 SAR 4,782

-33.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,054

$2,947 SAR 11.1K

-18.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,342

$1,891 SAR 7,100

-24.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,843 SAR 6,920

$2,104 SAR 7,902

-12.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.54

6.14%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $620 in Al Khobar and $1,189 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 14% 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $64.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $238 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 24% 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, salaries run 14% lower in Riyadh. 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: $620 in Al Khobar versus $1,189 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 81% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $600 in Al Khobar versus $539 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,402 in Al Khobar versus $1,736 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 $1,402 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 24% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.