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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,345 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Al Khobar versus $2,022 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,931 in Al Khobar versus $2,699 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs are close between Al Khobar and Tabuk; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.80 SAR 25.51

$8.67 SAR 32.51

-21.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 196

$28.02 SAR 105

86.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.27

$7.03 SAR 26.37

11.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$1.56 SAR 5.84

30.13%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.91 SAR 7.16

42.93%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.84

$2.94 SAR 11.03

43.88%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.75 SAR 2.80

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.28 SAR 1.06

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.89 SAR 7.07

-6.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$0.57 SAR 2.12

135.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-15.19%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.57

$2.57 SAR 9.64

9.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 SAR 25.80

$12.39 SAR 46.46

-44.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 SAR 33.93

$6.65 SAR 24.94

36.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 SAR 46.39

$12.74 SAR 47.79

-2.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$1.98 SAR 7.44

22.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.47

$1.60 SAR 6.01

8.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$1.72 SAR 6.46

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-19.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$2.05 SAR 7.69

-16.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.58 SAR 2.17

1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.92 SAR 10.94

-6.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-14.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.03 SAR 7.62

-7.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.71

$7.58 SAR 28.42

-13.06%

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

$40.56 SAR 152

46.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 SAR 8.29

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-19.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.08

$13.58 SAR 50.9

-50.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-4.55%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-22.50%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

4.32%

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

$123 SAR 461

$160 SAR 602

-23.42%

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

$34.30 SAR 129

$36.74 SAR 138

-6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.9 SAR 303

$103 SAR 384

-21.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 409

$89.5 SAR 336

21.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.07 SAR 135

$35.09 SAR 132

2.79%

Cinema Ticket

$17.15 SAR 64.3

$25.61 SAR 96.0

-33.03%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$354 SAR 1,326

-13.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

$8,468 SAR 31.8K

-10.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.9 SAR 236

$58.8 SAR 221

6.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.8 SAR 258

$59.5 SAR 223

15.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 SAR 372

$80.5 SAR 302

23.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 SAR 297

$82.6 SAR 310

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,639

$345 SAR 1,292

26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$361 SAR 1,352

9.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,054 SAR 3,952

$822 SAR 3,082

28.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 SAR 2,955

$723 SAR 2,712

8.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,040

$2,542 SAR 9,532

-5.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 SAR 5,370

$1,146 SAR 4,297

24.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,942 SAR 7,283

$1,740 SAR 6,527

11.58%

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 Tabuk: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $437 in Al Khobar and $345 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $52.0 in Al Khobar vs $28.00 in Tabuk. Groceries flip the comparison at $216 vs $216, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar pays 12% 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 $345 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $354 in Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Khobar – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $28.00 in Tabuk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,345 in Tabuk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar 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 Tabuk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Al Khobar wins on affordability, Tabuk on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.