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: $1,304 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,655 in Al Mubarraz versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al Mubarraz costs roughly 3% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Mubarraz is 3% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 SAR 28.70

$6.67 SAR 25.03

14.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 SAR 147

$52.7 SAR 198

-25.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 SAR 27.55

$8.04 SAR 30.18

-8.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-13.73%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.92

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-21.56%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.98

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-8.06%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.65

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.70 SAR 6.38

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 SAR 4.89

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.30 SAR 8.64

0.43%

Eggs

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-9.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 SAR 31.01

$6.70 SAR 25.15

23.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 SAR 37.76

$9.28 SAR 34.81

8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 SAR 54.1

$12.58 SAR 47.21

14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-9.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.74 SAR 6.54

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-19.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-1.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-9.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.64

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-15.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.12

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-9.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.40

$2.61 SAR 9.79

6.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.46 SAR 5.50

22.60%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$1.96 SAR 7.35

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 SAR 28.14

$6.81 SAR 25.55

10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.97 SAR 3.63

13.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 SAR 147

$61.2 SAR 230

-35.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.33

$2.19 SAR 8.21

50.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.30 SAR 4.87

47.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$6.56 SAR 24.62

106.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 SAR 2.00

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-13.11%

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

$20.3K SAR 76.3K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

-5.62%

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

$23.8K SAR 89.4K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

1.73%

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

$103 SAR 388

$125 SAR 468

-17.12%

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

$34.28 SAR 129

$34.88 SAR 131

-1.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 SAR 283

$81.1 SAR 304

-7.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 SAR 327

$109 SAR 410

-20.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.01 SAR 131

$36.43 SAR 137

-3.90%

Cinema Ticket

$15.95 SAR 59.9

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-9.68%

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

$454 SAR 1,703

$304 SAR 1,140

49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,573 SAR 35.9K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

25.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$64.5 SAR 242

-8.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.5 SAR 246

$69.2 SAR 260

-5.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SAR 407

$99.5 SAR 373

8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 SAR 375

$78.1 SAR 293

28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 SAR 1,675

$439 SAR 1,648

1.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 SAR 1,456

$405 SAR 1,521

-4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,156

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-17.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,371

$811 SAR 3,043

-22.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,383 SAR 8,943

$2,399 SAR 9,003

-0.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,319 SAR 4,949

$1,466 SAR 5,502

-10.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 SAR 4,030

$1,861 SAR 6,983

-42.29%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Al Mubarraz and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 73% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $218, 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 3% 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 73% 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: $446 in Al Mubarraz versus $439 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 56% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $454 in Al Mubarraz versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,304 in Al Mubarraz versus $1,346 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 3% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.