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: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 24% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 0% above, Riyadh 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.60

$8.19 SAR 30.76

-16.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$53.9 SAR 202

0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.97 SAR 29.91

2.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.69 SAR 6.33

17.16%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.31 SAR 8.68

16.88%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.01

$3.98 SAR 14.94

7.04%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.77 SAR 2.88

24.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.31 SAR 1.17

58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.33 SAR 4.98

5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.69 SAR 10.10

7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.05

$8.48 SAR 31.84

-18.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-7.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.34

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-13.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.32 SAR 8.73

9.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.88 SAR 7.06

13.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-1.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.25 SAR 4.68

12.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.46 SAR 5.49

17.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.43 SAR 5.38

18.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.52 SAR 1.94

15.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$7.87 SAR 29.54

-65.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.79 SAR 6.70

-18.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$2.41 SAR 9.06

-21.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.45

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$36.88 SAR 138

62.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-29.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-26.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-49.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.39

1.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-39.09%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-3.02%

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

$124 SAR 466

$106 SAR 398

17.14%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$35.14 SAR 132

-1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$76.9 SAR 289

4.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$106 SAR 399

2.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$59.9 SAR 225

-38.57%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$16.22 SAR 60.9

7.03%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$465 SAR 1,747

-34.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

-20.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$58.3 SAR 219

8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$65.1 SAR 244

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$110 SAR 413

-9.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$101 SAR 378

-20.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-60.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$843 SAR 3,164

-52.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$2,026 SAR 7,608

-47.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$1,127 SAR 4,233

-27.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

-16.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,938 SAR 7,279

-26.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,971

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-8.12%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 9% 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: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Riyadh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $225 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 32% 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 9% 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $1,110 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 63% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $465 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,758 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 $1,332 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 32% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.