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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $922 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,467 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,011 in Taif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 46% more expensive than Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Taif is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$5.25 SAR 19.69

28.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$40.17 SAR 151

30.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$6.71 SAR 25.18

19.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$2.06 SAR 7.72

-1.94%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.58 SAR 5.94

72.15%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$2.92 SAR 10.96

47.95%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.72 SAR 2.70

38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.37 SAR 5.14

23.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$0.26 SAR 0.96

430.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.56 SAR 9.61

13.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$7.38 SAR 27.70

-10.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$5.99 SAR 22.49

53.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$10.73 SAR 40.25

18.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.28 SAR 8.55

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.59 SAR 5.96

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$2.02 SAR 7.59

4.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-14.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-2.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.56 SAR 5.87

7.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$0.85 SAR 3.19

107.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.97 SAR 3.65

-36.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-6.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-26.04%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$1.63 SAR 6.14

20.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$6.55 SAR 24.56

3.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.19 SAR 151

53.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-17.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-36.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.18 SAR 49.45

-50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.60 SAR 2.26

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

7.28%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

13.40%

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

$123 SAR 461

$73.2 SAR 275

67.61%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$28.41 SAR 107

22.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$88.5 SAR 332

-9.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$76.0 SAR 285

40.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$37.04 SAR 139

-2.59%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$17.58 SAR 66.0

0.46%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$264 SAR 991

16.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

36.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$38.85 SAR 146

64.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$42.12 SAR 158

66.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$79.9 SAR 300

23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$46.88 SAR 176

72.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$214 SAR 804

101.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$173 SAR 649

129.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$433 SAR 1,626

137.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$349 SAR 1,309

126.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,130 SAR 7,993

13.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,248 SAR 4,685

16.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$2,031 SAR 7,622

-8.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.6

-16.52%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Taif: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $214 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $181 per month, with Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taif wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Taif earns 9% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Al Khobar versus $214 in Taif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Taif runs roughly 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $264 in Taif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $922 in Taif versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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 Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.