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: $1,169 in Al-Ula versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,767 in Al-Ula versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,365 in Al-Ula versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al-Ula costs roughly 17% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-Ula is 15% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$6.53 SAR 24.53

4.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$60.0 SAR 225

-38.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$7.77 SAR 29.18

3.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-39.47%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-24.50%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-3.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-41.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.64 SAR 6.15

1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-9.76%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$7.18 SAR 26.95

3.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-21.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$11.61 SAR 43.59

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-19.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-22.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-8.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-17.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-20.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-30.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.57 SAR 2.15

3.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

$2.63 SAR 9.86

8.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.64 SAR 6.17

3.05%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$1.89 SAR 7.10

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$6.59 SAR 24.74

0.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$0.78 SAR 2.95

37.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$67.3 SAR 253

-45.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-7.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$6.81 SAR 25.57

94.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-4.76%

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-30.43%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-2.48%

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

$102 SAR 382

$98.6 SAR 370

3.27%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$32.61 SAR 122

0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$70.2 SAR 264

-4.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$79.9 SAR 300

4.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$36.21 SAR 136

1.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-11.35%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$600 SAR 2,253

-43.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

-19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$63.5 SAR 238

-19.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$81.4 SAR 306

-27.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$97.5 SAR 366

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$92.5 SAR 347

-4.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$620 SAR 2,328

-7.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$499 SAR 1,872

-30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$1,184 SAR 4,445

-26.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$847 SAR 3,180

-34.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$2,411 SAR 9,054

-2.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$1,423 SAR 5,342

-3.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,843 SAR 6,920

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Al-Ula and $620 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in Al-Ula vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $216 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 20% 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 $1,753 in Al-Ula and $2,103 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: $571 in Al-Ula versus $620 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 84% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $342 in Al-Ula versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,169 in Al-Ula versus $1,402 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 20% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.