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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,159 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,646 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,134 in Sakakah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 14% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Sakakah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$5.82 SAR 21.87

11.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$45.09 SAR 169

17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.89 SAR 29.64

-1.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$2.16 SAR 8.12

-6.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.62 SAR 6.07

62.96%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$3.67 SAR 13.78

19.35%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.65 SAR 2.44

56.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.32 SAR 1.18

59.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.66 SAR 6.23

5.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.93 SAR 3.48

49.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.38 SAR 8.94

0.84%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.40 SAR 9.01

17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$7.02 SAR 26.35

-5.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$7.57 SAR 28.42

18.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$12.80 SAR 48.06

-0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.19 SAR 8.24

15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.57 SAR 5.91

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.70 SAR 6.38

26.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.64 SAR 6.14

-4.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.24 SAR 4.65

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.33 SAR 4.98

24.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.19 SAR 4.46

43.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.54 SAR 2.04

7.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$3.18 SAR 11.95

-17.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-15.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$7.09 SAR 26.61

-6.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.00 SAR 150

53.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-13.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.92 SAR 7.23

-31.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-48.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.61 SAR 2.30

6.56%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.9K SAR 101.2K

-21.16%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

2.41%

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

$122 SAR 458

$104 SAR 391

17.07%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$34.12 SAR 128

0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$73.1 SAR 275

11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$59.7 SAR 224

78.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$35.17 SAR 132

4.24%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.58 SAR 58.5

9.88%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$359 SAR 1,347

-16.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$6,946 SAR 26.1K

9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.0 SAR 222

7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$59.7 SAR 224

15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$80.7 SAR 303

23.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$81.6 SAR 307

-4.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$226 SAR 850

90.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$377 SAR 1,416

4.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$344 SAR 1,293

204.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$308 SAR 1,156

159.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,298 SAR 8,629

3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,294 SAR 4,859

12.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$922 SAR 3,464

97.57%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $226 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 98% 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 $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $195 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 14% 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.

Average pay runs 98% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $226 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $359 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,159 in Sakakah versus $1,323 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 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.