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: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,177 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $1,785 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $2,394 in Umluj.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 20% more expensive than in Umluj, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 3% above, Umluj is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.12

$7.26 SAR 27.27

-7.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$36.08 SAR 135

64.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.83 SAR 29.39

1.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.73

$1.99 SAR 7.47

30.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.36 SAR 8.85

14.41%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$3.78 SAR 14.21

14.29%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.86 SAR 3.24

16.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.25 SAR 0.92

52.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.22 SAR 4.58

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.35 SAR 8.81

3.40%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.11 SAR 7.92

13.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.71

$6.69 SAR 25.11

6.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.46

$7.95 SAR 29.84

28.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.12

$12.22 SAR 45.89

-3.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$1.81 SAR 6.80

53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.81 SAR 6.80

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

$1.74 SAR 6.52

13.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.77 SAR 6.63

3.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.18 SAR 4.42

14.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.35 SAR 5.07

20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.01 SAR 3.81

66.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.51 SAR 1.91

7.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

$3.21 SAR 12.06

-19.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.92 SAR 7.20

-17.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$2.02 SAR 7.57

-10.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.55

$6.08 SAR 22.81

7.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$1.19 SAR 4.47

-37.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

$38.99 SAR 146

70.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.77

$2.56 SAR 9.61

32.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$1.62 SAR 6.06

61.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$14.11 SAR 53.0

-52.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.56 SAR 2.09

7.14%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.3K

$44.5K SAR 167.1K

51.06%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.6K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

3.48%

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

$100 SAR 376

$102 SAR 382

-1.53%

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

$32.10 SAR 120

$35.94 SAR 135

-10.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$64.9 SAR 244

5.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

$85.5 SAR 321

-4.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$33.03 SAR 124

8.99%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$13.99 SAR 52.5

11.44%

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

$590 SAR 2,215

$359 SAR 1,347

64.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$6,713 SAR 25.2K

27.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$48.88 SAR 184

27.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$50.3 SAR 189

65.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$82.3 SAR 309

16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$85.7 SAR 322

6.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,422

$590 SAR 2,214

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,863

$346 SAR 1,300

43.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,461

$865 SAR 3,248

37.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,288

$554 SAR 2,082

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,940

$2,582 SAR 9,694

-7.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,496

$1,346 SAR 5,053

8.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,803

$4,322 SAR 16.2K

-58.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Umluj: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $590 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 139% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $36.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $196 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 20% 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 139% 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $590 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 71% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $359 in Umluj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,177 in Umluj versus $1,415 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 20% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.