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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,192 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $1,646 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,100 in Sakakah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 13% more expensive than Sakakah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Sakakah is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$5.98 SAR 22.41

13.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$45.23 SAR 170

15.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.98 SAR 29.92

-2.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.07 SAR 7.77

-1.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.57 SAR 5.88

73.89%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$3.62 SAR 13.57

16.85%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.65 SAR 2.43

56.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.34 SAR 1.28

44.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.69 SAR 6.36

4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.96 SAR 3.58

39.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.29 SAR 8.58

4.80%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.50 SAR 9.38

12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$6.82 SAR 25.59

0.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$7.51 SAR 28.18

20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$13.00 SAR 48.76

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$2.18 SAR 8.18

11.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.60 SAR 5.98

8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.67 SAR 6.27

32.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.61 SAR 6.04

0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.30 SAR 4.87

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.33 SAR 4.99

29.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.18 SAR 4.43

44.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.54 SAR 2.03

9.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.64 SAR 9.89

3.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.78 SAR 6.67

-17.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-7.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.21 SAR 27.03

-8.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-14.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 SAR 223

$40.48 SAR 152

47.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-15.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-29.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.21 SAR 49.52

-49.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.58 SAR 2.16

8.62%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-20.28%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

2.51%

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

$123 SAR 461

$107 SAR 401

14.83%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$33.51 SAR 126

2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$71.6 SAR 268

13.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$59.1 SAR 222

84.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$36.11 SAR 135

-0.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$15.56 SAR 58.3

10.22%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$352 SAR 1,320

-13.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$6,865 SAR 25.7K

10.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$59.7 SAR 224

5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$61.3 SAR 230

12.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$78.2 SAR 293

26.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$82.1 SAR 308

-3.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$223 SAR 835

96.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$383 SAR 1,437

2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$341 SAR 1,278

209.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$300 SAR 1,126

162.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,346 SAR 8,796

2.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,535 SAR 5,755

-6.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$928 SAR 3,480

109.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $223 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 109% 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: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $196 per month, with Sakakah 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakakah wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sakakah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Al Khobar pays 109% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $437 in Al Khobar versus $223 in Sakakah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 47% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $352 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,192 in Sakakah versus $1,341 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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 Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.