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: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $916 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,470 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,023 in Taif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 45% more expensive than in 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

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$5.30 SAR 19.91

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$40.54 SAR 152

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$6.80 SAR 25.53

20.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.96 SAR 7.35

1.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.58 SAR 5.95

70.89%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.00

$2.94 SAR 11.04

44.90%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.77 SAR 2.91

24.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.28 SAR 1.06

75.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.36 SAR 5.10

24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.28 SAR 1.05

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.29 SAR 8.59

1.31%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.58 SAR 9.70

11.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.04

$7.26 SAR 27.28

-4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$6.23 SAR 23.38

46.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.33

$10.61 SAR 39.86

18.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.28 SAR 8.57

11.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.62 SAR 6.09

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.98 SAR 7.45

7.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-14.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.44 SAR 5.40

-2.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.62 SAR 6.07

6.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$0.93 SAR 3.48

82.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.03 SAR 3.87

-41.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.87 SAR 10.79

-5.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-24.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$1.62 SAR 6.07

16.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$6.73 SAR 25.26

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$39.58 SAR 149

51.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-13.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-33.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.06 SAR 49.03

-49.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.63 SAR 2.37

3.17%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

6.92%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

10.57%

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

$124 SAR 466

$75.3 SAR 283

64.79%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$28.59 SAR 107

20.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$85.9 SAR 323

-6.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$76.7 SAR 288

42.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$37.83 SAR 142

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$17.16 SAR 64.4

1.17%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$263 SAR 986

16.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

34.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$39.70 SAR 149

59.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$41.96 SAR 158

66.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$77.7 SAR 292

28.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$47.39 SAR 178

69.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$215 SAR 808

101.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$172 SAR 644

133.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$437 SAR 1,642

142.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$347 SAR 1,301

134.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,332 SAR 8,755

4.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,352 SAR 5,076

5.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,970

$1,814 SAR 6,811

2.34%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $215 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 2% 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: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $41.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $182 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 45% 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.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $215 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 52% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $263 in Taif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $916 in Taif versus $1,332 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 45% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.