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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,218 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,841 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,463 in Umluj.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 9% more expensive than in Umluj, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Umluj is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.60

$6.59 SAR 24.75

3.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$44.44 SAR 167

21.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.81 SAR 29.33

4.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.76 SAR 6.61

12.50%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.77 SAR 6.65

52.54%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.01

$3.74 SAR 14.03

13.90%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.74 SAR 2.78

29.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.31 SAR 1.17

58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.65 SAR 6.20

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$0.99 SAR 3.70

41.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.30 SAR 8.64

0.87%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.45 SAR 9.19

17.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.05

$6.72 SAR 25.24

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$7.30 SAR 27.41

24.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.34

$12.97 SAR 48.71

-2.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.19 SAR 8.21

15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.75 SAR 6.57

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.61 SAR 6.04

-2.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.25 SAR 4.69

12.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.28 SAR 4.81

34.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.24 SAR 4.64

37.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.56 SAR 2.09

7.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.76 SAR 10.38

-2.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-14.62%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.45

$6.87 SAR 25.81

-5.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$39.50 SAR 148

52.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.61 SAR 9.79

-13.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$13.24 SAR 49.71

-50.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.64 SAR 2.42

1.56%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-19.79%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

1.10%

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

$124 SAR 466

$107 SAR 401

16.24%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$33.75 SAR 127

2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$71.7 SAR 269

12.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$87.3 SAR 328

25.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.50 SAR 133

3.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$15.76 SAR 59.2

10.15%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$355 SAR 1,332

-13.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

7.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$59.0 SAR 221

7.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$60.1 SAR 226

16.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$80.4 SAR 302

24.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$82.0 SAR 308

-1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$436 SAR 1,638

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$377 SAR 1,414

6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$840 SAR 3,156

26.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$621 SAR 2,332

30.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,132 SAR 8,006

14.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,522 SAR 5,715

-6.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,971

$4,245 SAR 15.9K

-56.27%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Umluj: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $436 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 129% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $44.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $195 per month, with Umluj 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 Umluj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Umluj wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Umluj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 129% lower in Umluj. 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 $436 in Umluj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj 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 $355 in Umluj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,332 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umluj but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Umluj 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 Umluj 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 Umluj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.