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: $1,194 in Al-Ula versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Al-Ula versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Al-Ula versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Al-Ula costs roughly 10% 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

$6.62 SAR 24.88

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-2.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.37 SAR 167

$54.0 SAR 203

-17.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-5.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-14.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-34.44%

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.68

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-14.55%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-40.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.69 SAR 6.34

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.47

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-34.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-0.43%

Eggs

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-15.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$6.94 SAR 26.05

1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 SAR 27.29

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-20.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.38

$12.61 SAR 47.34

2.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-14.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.57 SAR 5.88

2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-12.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

$2.70 SAR 10.14

2.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$1.46 SAR 5.48

19.86%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

$1.88 SAR 7.04

6.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 SAR 26.56

$6.51 SAR 24.45

8.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.92 SAR 3.44

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.36 SAR 152

$60.1 SAR 225

-32.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$2.26 SAR 8.48

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$1.35 SAR 5.06

42.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.85

$6.60 SAR 24.78

101.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.27

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-6.15%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

23.31%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-1.56%

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

$107 SAR 400

$124 SAR 466

-14.12%

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

$33.61 SAR 126

$34.51 SAR 130

-2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$80.7 SAR 303

-11.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$109 SAR 410

-20.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.23 SAR 136

$36.80 SAR 138

-1.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-10.20%

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

$354 SAR 1,331

$306 SAR 1,147

15.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-8.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 SAR 224

$63.4 SAR 238

-5.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$69.8 SAR 262

-12.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$100 SAR 376

-22.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 SAR 310

$80.4 SAR 302

2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$433 SAR 1,627

0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$401 SAR 1,505

-5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,137

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-21.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$813 SAR 3,054

-24.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 SAR 8,477

$2,442 SAR 9,169

-7.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,716

$1,423 SAR 5,344

6.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,971

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Al-Ula and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Al-Ula vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 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 $1,791 in Al-Ula and $1,999 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: $434 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 49% 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 $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,194 in Al-Ula versus $1,332 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.