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: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,318 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $2,034 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,750 in Tabuk.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$8.67 SAR 32.57

-25.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$28.15 SAR 106

88.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.27 SAR 27.32

7.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.61 SAR 6.06

25.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.85 SAR 6.96

42.70%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$2.98 SAR 11.20

46.98%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.70 SAR 2.64

45.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.26 SAR 0.96

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.90 SAR 7.13

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.53 SAR 1.98

162.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.72 SAR 10.23

-11.76%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.63 SAR 9.86

7.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$12.22 SAR 45.90

-45.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$6.55 SAR 24.59

36.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$13.19 SAR 49.52

-3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$1.95 SAR 7.32

30.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.55 SAR 5.80

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.76 SAR 6.61

22.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-30.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-15.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-16.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.99 SAR 7.47

-14.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.57 SAR 2.15

1.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.77 SAR 10.40

-5.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-16.96%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-4.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$7.51 SAR 28.20

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.10 SAR 4.13

-12.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.35 SAR 152

52.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.59 SAR 9.73

-13.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.17 SAR 49.47

-48.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.66 SAR 2.48

-1.52%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

-18.67%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

1.99%

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

$122 SAR 458

$157 SAR 589

-22.33%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$36.52 SAR 137

-6.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$106 SAR 399

-23.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$88.7 SAR 333

20.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$35.57 SAR 134

3.06%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$24.86 SAR 93.4

-31.13%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$350 SAR 1,314

-14.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$8,426 SAR 31.6K

-9.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.7 SAR 224

6.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$61.0 SAR 229

13.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$80.3 SAR 301

24.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$83.0 SAR 312

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$341 SAR 1,280

26.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$362 SAR 1,359

8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$812 SAR 3,047

29.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$731 SAR 2,744

9.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,687 SAR 10.1K

-11.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,398 SAR 5,248

4.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$1,726 SAR 6,482

5.57%

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 Tabuk: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $341 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 6% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $53.0 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

Average pay runs 6% 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 $341 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $301 in Al Khobar versus $350 in Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tabuk – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $53.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Tabuk versus $1,323 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.

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