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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,150 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,631 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,113 in Taif.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 25% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Taif is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$4.63 SAR 17.39

47.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.25 SAR 140

61.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.87 SAR 25.79

13.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.84 SAR 6.90

46.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.63 SAR 6.13

59.51%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$2.96 SAR 11.13

51.01%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.69 SAR 2.57

43.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.21 SAR 0.79

95.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.45 SAR 5.46

12.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.28 SAR 1.06

350.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.39 SAR 8.97

5.86%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$7.29 SAR 27.38

-1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.56

$6.27 SAR 23.55

59.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.48

$10.58 SAR 39.73

12.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.35

$2.21 SAR 8.30

24.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.80 SAR 6.77

-2.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.79 SAR 6.73

13.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.83 SAR 6.88

-1.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.52 SAR 5.72

-7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-1.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$0.83 SAR 3.14

107.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.96 SAR 3.59

-38.54%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.76 SAR 10.38

-5.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.77 SAR 6.66

-10.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.49 SAR 5.61

29.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.85 SAR 25.72

-0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$35.56 SAR 134

93.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$1.31 SAR 4.92

155.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-1.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.42 SAR 50.4

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-1.64%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

$44.9K SAR 168.6K

51.15%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$19.0K SAR 71.3K

17.10%

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

$98.7 SAR 370

$110 SAR 412

-9.97%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$27.79 SAR 104

16.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$85.5 SAR 321

-20.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$122 SAR 459

-32.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$30.23 SAR 114

20.71%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$17.24 SAR 64.8

-12.70%

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

$611 SAR 2,293

$244 SAR 918

149.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$4,487 SAR 16.9K

87.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$20.26 SAR 76.1

212.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$56.8 SAR 213

43.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$94.7 SAR 355

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$46.33 SAR 174

103.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$1,250 SAR 4,693

-48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$340 SAR 1,279

50.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,441

$869 SAR 3,264

36.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,200

$336 SAR 1,262

153.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,133

$2,386 SAR 8,959

1.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,511

$1,366 SAR 5,131

7.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,871

$1,790 SAR 6,723

2.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

3.6

63.33%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Taif: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $1,250 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $37.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $183 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 25% 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $1,250 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 93% 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 $244 in Taif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,150 in Taif versus $1,434 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 25% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.