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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,038 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,626 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,214 in Yanbu.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 38% more expensive than in Yanbu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Yanbu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$6.51 SAR 24.47

4.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$37.19 SAR 140

61.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.85 SAR 25.73

14.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$1.63 SAR 6.12

65.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.59 SAR 5.96

63.52%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.57 SAR 13.40

25.21%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.79 SAR 2.97

25.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.20 SAR 0.77

105.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.70 SAR 6.40

-4.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.88 SAR 3.32

43.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.16 SAR 8.10

17.13%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-1.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$6.34 SAR 23.82

13.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$8.25 SAR 30.98

21.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$13.30 SAR 49.97

-10.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.09 SAR 7.86

32.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.72 SAR 6.45

2.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.51 SAR 5.67

35.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.67 SAR 6.29

8.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.17 SAR 4.38

19.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$1.09 SAR 4.11

55.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.04 SAR 3.92

65.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.53 SAR 2.00

11.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$1.36 SAR 5.12

91.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.36 SAR 5.10

16.91%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.11 SAR 7.93

-8.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.72 SAR 25.24

1.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$26.14 SAR 98.2

163.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$3.21 SAR 12.07

4.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$0.78 SAR 2.93

239.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.61 SAR 51.1

-50.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-3.23%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

46.22%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

3.67%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$102 SAR 384

-3.44%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$22.45 SAR 84.3

44.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$67.4 SAR 253

1.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$95.1 SAR 357

-13.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$26.16 SAR 98.2

39.49%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$11.96 SAR 44.91

25.84%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$266 SAR 998

129.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

118.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$67.1 SAR 252

-5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$60.9 SAR 229

34.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$97.9 SAR 368

-0.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$97.9 SAR 368

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$313 SAR 1,176

105.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$210 SAR 790

143.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$595 SAR 2,234

98.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$425 SAR 1,597

100.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,134

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

-47.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.39

9.09%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $313 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $37.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $196 per month, with Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yanbu wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yanbu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Yanbu. 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $313 in Yanbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 163% 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 $266 in Yanbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,038 in Yanbu versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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 Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.