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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,244 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,848 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,453 in Tabuk.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 15% more expensive than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Tabuk is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$7.55 SAR 28.33

-9.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$32.11 SAR 121

87.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$7.70 SAR 28.92

1.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.37 SAR 5.14

97.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.59 SAR 5.97

63.52%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.13 SAR 11.76

42.81%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.72 SAR 2.72

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.26 SAR 0.97

57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-17.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.92 SAR 3.46

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-6.64%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.82 SAR 10.60

-16.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$12.47 SAR 46.83

-42.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.56

$6.82 SAR 25.62

46.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.48

$13.20 SAR 49.57

-10.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.35

$1.95 SAR 7.31

41.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.66 SAR 6.24

6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.74 SAR 6.53

17.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.24 SAR 8.40

-19.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-10.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.55 SAR 2.08

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-4.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-5.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.09 SAR 7.86

-7.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.73 SAR 25.29

1.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-27.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$35.75 SAR 134

92.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.98 SAR 11.20

12.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.76 SAR 6.61

50.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.11 SAR 49.22

-48.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.66 SAR 2.49

-9.09%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

48.37%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

2.50%

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

$98.7 SAR 370

$101 SAR 379

-2.19%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$36.18 SAR 136

-10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$76.6 SAR 288

-10.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$84.8 SAR 319

-3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$37.50 SAR 141

-2.69%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.26 SAR 49.78

13.50%

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

$611 SAR 2,293

$351 SAR 1,316

74.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.7 SAR 190

25.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$57.1 SAR 214

43.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$95.7 SAR 359

1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$87.0 SAR 327

8.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$337 SAR 1,267

90.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$371 SAR 1,392

37.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,441

$631 SAR 2,368

87.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,200

$610 SAR 2,289

39.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,133

$2,335 SAR 8,768

4.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,511

$1,399 SAR 5,254

4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,871

$1,697 SAR 6,372

7.83%

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 Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $337 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 8% 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 $32.00 in Tabuk. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $224, 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

Tabuk wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tabuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 8% 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 $337 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 92% 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 $351 in Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,244 in Tabuk versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tabuk but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Tabuk 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.

Expats usually find Tabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.