Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Al-Ula versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,832 in Al-Ula versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,467 in Al-Ula versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al-Ula costs roughly 11% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-Ula is 11% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-0.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.97 SAR 169

$52.6 SAR 197

-14.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SAR 29.34

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-2.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-12.38%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-33.09%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.02

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-13.43%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-31.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-0.86%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.02

$6.59 SAR 24.72

1.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 SAR 28.94

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-15.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.97

$12.70 SAR 47.65

2.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-20.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-4.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-23.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-30.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-3.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

$2.68 SAR 10.05

7.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.42 SAR 5.34

24.65%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

$1.97 SAR 7.39

4.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 26.98

$6.75 SAR 25.35

6.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.92 SAR 3.45

19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$61.6 SAR 231

-33.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$2.25 SAR 8.44

16.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$1.30 SAR 4.87

45.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$6.59 SAR 24.74

105.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.25

1.67%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

27.35%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

0.27%

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

$103 SAR 388

$123 SAR 461

-15.72%

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

$33.67 SAR 126

$34.93 SAR 131

-3.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$80.1 SAR 301

-10.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$107 SAR 400

-18.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$36.08 SAR 135

-0.50%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 SAR 59.5

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-10.14%

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

$354 SAR 1,330

$307 SAR 1,151

15.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-8.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$63.8 SAR 239

-5.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$70.0 SAR 263

-15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 SAR 295

$98.7 SAR 370

-20.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 SAR 313

$80.8 SAR 303

3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,667

$433 SAR 1,624

2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$397 SAR 1,489

-5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 SAR 3,238

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-16.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$790 SAR 2,965

-22.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 SAR 8,988

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-0.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 SAR 5,057

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-7.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Al-Ula and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Al-Ula vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $217 per month, with Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Ula wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al-Ula the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,796 in Al-Ula and $2,016 in Al Khobar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Al-Ula versus $433 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Ula runs roughly 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $354 in Al-Ula versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,197 in Al-Ula versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-Ula but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Ula 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-Ula 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-Ula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.