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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,339 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $2,045 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,751 in Tabuk.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 1% more expensive than Tabuk, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$8.45 SAR 31.71

-21.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$28.15 SAR 106

87.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$6.99 SAR 26.22

15.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.61 SAR 6.05

26.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.84 SAR 6.92

46.20%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$3.00 SAR 11.27

44.67%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.75 SAR 2.83

25.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$0.52 SAR 1.94

169.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.79 SAR 10.47

-17.56%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.61 SAR 9.78

11.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$12.21 SAR 45.81

-45.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$6.71 SAR 25.19

38.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$12.83 SAR 48.16

-1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.01 SAR 7.54

23.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.55 SAR 5.80

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.72 SAR 6.44

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-26.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$2.10 SAR 7.88

-18.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.93 SAR 7.22

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-3.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.77 SAR 6.65

-17.51%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.00 SAR 7.50

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$7.54 SAR 28.28

-9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-6.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.88 SAR 150

53.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.52 SAR 50.7

-51.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.41

-4.69%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

-19.87%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

2.91%

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

$125 SAR 468

$157 SAR 588

-20.46%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$36.59 SAR 137

-4.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$106 SAR 396

-23.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$86.4 SAR 324

26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$35.73 SAR 134

1.96%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$25.29 SAR 94.9

-30.17%

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

$8,533 SAR 32.0K

-10.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$59.9 SAR 225

7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$59.5 SAR 223

16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$79.6 SAR 299

25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$82.0 SAR 308

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$343 SAR 1,286

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$359 SAR 1,349

12.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$800 SAR 3,004

27.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$741 SAR 2,782

9.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,204 SAR 8,269

8.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,339 SAR 5,025

9.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$1,742 SAR 6,538

6.81%

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 Tabuk: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $343 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 7% 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 $28.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $216 per month, with Tabuk 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tabuk wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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.

Al Khobar pays 7% 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 $343 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 54% 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 Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,339 in Tabuk versus $1,346 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 1% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.