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: $1,280 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,930 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,580 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al Mubarraz costs roughly 5% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Mubarraz is 4% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 SAR 27.82

$6.80 SAR 25.51

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.01 SAR 146

$52.4 SAR 196

-25.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 SAR 26.87

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-8.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-16.75%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-23.44%

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 14.98

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-5.44%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.57

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-59.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.71

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.02

$2.40 SAR 9.01

0.42%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.08

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-4.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 SAR 30.93

$6.88 SAR 25.80

19.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 SAR 37.02

$9.05 SAR 33.93

9.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 SAR 54.3

$12.37 SAR 46.39

17.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.68

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-2.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.80

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-18.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.64

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-18.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.98

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-10.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

$2.72 SAR 10.21

5.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.47 SAR 5.50

22.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.95

$1.87 SAR 7.02

27.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 SAR 27.29

$6.59 SAR 24.71

10.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.91 SAR 3.40

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 SAR 147

$59.5 SAR 223

-34.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 SAR 12.25

$2.21 SAR 8.29

47.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

$1.31 SAR 4.90

45.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.37 SAR 50.1

$6.69 SAR 25.08

99.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-7.94%

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

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

-5.08%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.7K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

1.34%

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

$105 SAR 394

$123 SAR 461

-14.48%

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

$34.84 SAR 131

$34.30 SAR 129

1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 285

$80.9 SAR 303

-5.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$109 SAR 409

-20.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 SAR 131

$36.07 SAR 135

-2.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 SAR 59.1

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-8.05%

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

$456 SAR 1,709

$306 SAR 1,147

49.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,494 SAR 35.6K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

25.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$62.9 SAR 236

-6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.6 SAR 242

$68.8 SAR 258

-6.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 406

$99.1 SAR 372

9.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 SAR 371

$79.1 SAR 297

25.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 SAR 1,635

$437 SAR 1,639

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,454

$394 SAR 1,479

-1.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,131

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 SAR 2,352

$788 SAR 2,955

-20.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,250 SAR 8,437

$2,411 SAR 9,040

-6.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,445 SAR 5,418

$1,432 SAR 5,370

0.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,050 SAR 3,938

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-45.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

3.84

38.28%

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

Last update for Al Mubarraz: April 25, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Al Mubarraz and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 85% 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: $39.00 in Al Mubarraz vs $52.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $216, 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 5% 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, Al Khobar earns 85% 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: $436 in Al Mubarraz versus $437 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 52% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Al Mubarraz versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,280 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,341 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 5% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.