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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,137 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,769 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,400 in Sakakah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 26% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Sakakah is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$5.76 SAR 21.64

18.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.38 SAR 140

61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$8.12 SAR 30.50

-3.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$2.15 SAR 8.09

25.58%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.57 SAR 5.89

65.61%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.53 SAR 13.25

26.63%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.70 SAR 2.64

41.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.31 SAR 1.18

32.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-5.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.11 SAR 4.16

13.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.21 SAR 8.32

14.48%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.35 SAR 8.83

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$7.58 SAR 28.47

-5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$7.88 SAR 29.59

26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$12.71 SAR 47.75

-6.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.19 SAR 8.23

26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.69 SAR 6.34

4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.60 SAR 6.02

27.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.68 SAR 6.32

7.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.13 SAR 4.23

23.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.32 SAR 4.96

28.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.14 SAR 4.30

50.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.56 SAR 2.10

5.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.77 SAR 10.39

-5.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-5.36%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.19 SAR 8.21

-11.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.53 SAR 24.54

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$35.35 SAR 133

94.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.96 SAR 11.10

13.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.78 SAR 6.68

48.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.12 SAR 49.28

-49.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.62 SAR 2.34

-3.23%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

49.45%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

4.81%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$102 SAR 383

-3.37%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$32.65 SAR 123

-0.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$66.4 SAR 249

2.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$83.6 SAR 314

-1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$36.48 SAR 137

0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.47 SAR 50.6

11.73%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$343 SAR 1,286

78.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,627 SAR 24.9K

26.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.6 SAR 190

25.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$58.3 SAR 219

40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$96.8 SAR 364

0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$90.3 SAR 339

4.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$586 SAR 2,201

9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$340 SAR 1,276

50.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$867 SAR 3,257

36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$541 SAR 2,034

57.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,134

$2,314 SAR 8,693

5.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$1,398 SAR 5,249

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$934 SAR 3,508

95.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $586 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 96% 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 $37.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $200 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 26% 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 96% 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $586 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 95% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $343 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,137 in Sakakah versus $1,434 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 26% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.