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: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,240 in Umluj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,858 in Umluj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,477 in Umluj.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 8% more expensive than Umluj, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Umluj is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$6.77 SAR 25.41

-0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$45.00 SAR 169

16.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.91 SAR 29.68

1.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.70 SAR 6.39

18.82%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.76 SAR 6.60

54.55%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.74 SAR 14.04

15.51%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.79 SAR 2.97

26.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.29 SAR 1.08

75.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.63 SAR 6.13

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$0.99 SAR 3.72

39.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.42 SAR 9.06

20.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$6.72 SAR 25.24

-1.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$7.66 SAR 28.76

19.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$13.19 SAR 49.49

-3.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.28 SAR 8.54

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.63 SAR 6.13

6.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.67 SAR 6.27

26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.57 SAR 5.89

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.24 SAR 4.64

15.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.28 SAR 4.81

30.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.20 SAR 4.49

46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.58 SAR 2.19

6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$2.44 SAR 9.16

9.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-15.48%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.01 SAR 7.53

-1.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$7.13 SAR 26.77

-5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.09 SAR 4.11

-15.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$40.32 SAR 151

52.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.73 SAR 10.25

-17.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-30.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$13.10 SAR 49.18

-49.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.65 SAR 2.42

-7.69%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-20.48%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

-0.33%

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

$123 SAR 461

$107 SAR 400

15.07%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$33.82 SAR 127

3.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$72.4 SAR 272

10.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$87.7 SAR 329

21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$35.18 SAR 132

2.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.95 SAR 59.9

10.72%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$359 SAR 1,348

-14.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$6,949 SAR 26.1K

8.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$59.8 SAR 224

6.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$60.8 SAR 228

15.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$80.5 SAR 302

22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$81.8 SAR 307

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$447 SAR 1,676

-3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$380 SAR 1,427

4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$839 SAR 3,150

22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$633 SAR 2,375

24.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,592 SAR 9,729

-6.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,485 SAR 5,574

-1.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$4,306 SAR 16.2K

-56.66%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Umluj: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $447 in Umluj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 131% 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 $45.00 in Umluj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $197 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 8% 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, Umluj earns 131% 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 $447 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 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 $359 in Umluj. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,240 in Umluj versus $1,344 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 8% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.