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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,197 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,662 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,128 in Sakakah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 12% 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

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$6.02 SAR 22.58

10.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$44.16 SAR 166

19.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.81 SAR 29.31

2.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.08 SAR 7.79

-1.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.57 SAR 5.89

71.34%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$3.55 SAR 13.33

22.25%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.64 SAR 2.40

46.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.34 SAR 1.28

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.66 SAR 6.21

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.01 SAR 3.80

38.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.45 SAR 9.19

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$6.68 SAR 25.08

0.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$7.55 SAR 28.33

22.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$13.22 SAR 49.59

-4.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.17 SAR 8.15

14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.62 SAR 6.08

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.74 SAR 6.53

28.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.56 SAR 5.84

4.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.28 SAR 4.80

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.28 SAR 4.79

34.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.24 SAR 4.67

37.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.55 SAR 2.07

14.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.64 SAR 9.89

-1.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-16.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.10 SAR 7.89

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-11.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.20 SAR 147

56.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.67 SAR 10.03

-17.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-32.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.16 SAR 49.39

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.57 SAR 2.15

7.02%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

-19.22%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

4.11%

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

$125 SAR 468

$105 SAR 393

18.97%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$33.95 SAR 127

2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$72.6 SAR 272

11.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$59.7 SAR 224

82.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$34.94 SAR 131

4.26%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.79 SAR 59.3

11.84%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$355 SAR 1,332

-14.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$7,103 SAR 26.7K

7.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$58.7 SAR 220

9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$60.3 SAR 226

14.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$78.0 SAR 293

27.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$82.3 SAR 309

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$222 SAR 835

97.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$377 SAR 1,414

7.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$342 SAR 1,285

198.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$310 SAR 1,163

161.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,343 SAR 8,794

2.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,358 SAR 5,097

7.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$931 SAR 3,495

99.77%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $222 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 100% 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 $44.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $197 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 12% 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 100% 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $222 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 56% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $355 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,197 in Sakakah versus $1,346 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 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.