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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,240 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,880 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,519 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al Mubarraz costs roughly 13% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Mubarraz is 9% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 SAR 28.62

$6.83 SAR 25.66

11.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 SAR 138

$60.2 SAR 226

-38.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.15

$7.83 SAR 29.42

2.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.71

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-24.07%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-20.38%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.29

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-2.91%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-31.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.63 SAR 6.10

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.26 SAR 4.73

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-7.51%

Eggs

$3.20 SAR 12.01

$2.36 SAR 8.88

35.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 SAR 36.56

$7.20 SAR 27.04

35.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 SAR 36.25

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-3.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.49 SAR 58.2

$11.85 SAR 44.49

30.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 SAR 10.32

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-0.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.76 SAR 6.62

10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.04 SAR 7.67

11.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-3.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-19.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.59 SAR 2.20

1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.61 SAR 9.82

6.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.59 SAR 5.97

10.06%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.25

$1.93 SAR 7.23

27.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SAR 28.09

$6.82 SAR 25.63

9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.80 SAR 3.02

31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.55 SAR 137

$68.8 SAR 258

-46.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.30

$3.35 SAR 12.59

-2.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-29.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.82

$6.69 SAR 25.14

98.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$0.60 SAR 2.27

1.67%

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

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-46.44%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

1.57%

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

$96.1 SAR 361

$98.7 SAR 371

-2.64%

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

$32.18 SAR 121

$32.44 SAR 122

-0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$68.3 SAR 257

2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.7 SAR 322

$82.1 SAR 308

4.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 SAR 138

$36.49 SAR 137

0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$13.52 SAR 50.8

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-10.17%

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

$551 SAR 2,070

$611 SAR 2,294

-9.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

33.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 SAR 218

$63.4 SAR 238

-8.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 SAR 215

$81.7 SAR 307

-30.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$97.2 SAR 365

13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SAR 404

$94.5 SAR 355

13.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$642 SAR 2,413

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$512 SAR 1,921

-32.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 SAR 3,330

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-25.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 SAR 2,066

$852 SAR 3,201

-35.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 SAR 8,904

$2,432 SAR 9,135

-2.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,396 SAR 5,243

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-4.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 SAR 3,992

$1,830 SAR 6,872

-41.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.88

-5.78%

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

Last update for Al Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Al Mubarraz and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 72% 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: $37.00 in Al Mubarraz vs $60.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $240 vs $219, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mubarraz vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mubarraz wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Mubarraz the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $574 in Al Mubarraz versus $642 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Mubarraz runs roughly 88% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $551 in Al Mubarraz versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,240 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Mubarraz but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz and Al Khobar 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 Al Mubarraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.