Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Al Khobar

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Khobar: $1,435 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Al Khobar
Learn more

Al Khobar Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,435

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Al Khobar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Al Khobar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $1,435 in Al Khobar.

Austin, TX $2,704
Al Khobar $1,435

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $2,239 in Al Khobar.

Austin, TX $4,133
Al Khobar $2,239

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $3,043 in Al Khobar.

Austin, TX $5,562
Al Khobar $3,043

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 88% more expensive than in Al Khobar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Austin, TX 102% above, Al Khobar 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$6.78 SAR 25.46

198.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$58.9 SAR 221

44.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 $12.35

$8.08 SAR 30.34

52.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 SAR 10.19

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$4.51 SAR 16.92

21.29%

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

$3.82 $3.82

$0.92 SAR 3.45

315.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.40 SAR 1.52

525.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.99 $8.99

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-33.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.26 SAR 4.72

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.55 SAR 9.59

27.45%

Eggs

$4.14 $4.14

$2.40 SAR 9.01

72.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$7.11 SAR 26.69

83.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.31 $14.31

$10.30 SAR 38.68

38.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.96 $15.96

$11.59 SAR 43.52

37.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.77 SAR 10.40

58.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-18.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.98 SAR 7.42

129.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.83 SAR 6.86

128.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.36 SAR 5.10

93.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.67 SAR 6.26

41.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.69 SAR 6.34

4.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.55 SAR 2.05

292.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$6.61 SAR 24.84

48.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.74 SAR 2.77

101.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.51 $40.51

$67.0 SAR 252

-39.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.38 SAR 12.68

-21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-41.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$6.84 SAR 25.67

415.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.64 SAR 2.41

54.69%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$66.1K SAR 248.1K

-45.80%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

20.37%

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

$219 $219

$99.2 SAR 372

121.08%

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

$58.0 $58.0

$32.92 SAR 124

76.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$69.7 SAR 262

-1.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.9 $57.9

$80.9 SAR 304

-28.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$36.24 SAR 136

-59.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.13 $14.13

$15.22 SAR 57.1

-7.16%

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

$1,509 $1,509

$602 SAR 2,262

150.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.5K $21.5K

$8,315 SAR 31.2K

158.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$62.8 SAR 236

-17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.05 $44.05

$83.7 SAR 314

-47.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 $85.1

$96.3 SAR 362

-11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$92.4 SAR 347

13.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,932 $1,932

$631 SAR 2,370

206.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$514 SAR 1,929

147.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,670 $3,670

$1,174 SAR 4,410

212.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$855 SAR 3,209

195.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,617 $7,617

$2,388 SAR 8,966

219.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,199 $3,199

$1,463 SAR 5,495

118.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,105 $5,105

$1,872 SAR 7,028

172.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.79

5.88

15.48%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2%

Al Khobar

$514 36.1% 59.6% $759

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$403 15.3%

Al Khobar

$219 15.4% 45.6% $184

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$348 13.2%

Al Khobar

$138 9.7% 60.4% $210

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$346 13.1%

Al Khobar

$202 14.2% 41.6% $144

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$129 4.9%

Al Khobar

$151 10.6% 17.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$86 3.3%

Al Khobar

$111 7.8% 29.3% $25

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.2%

Al Khobar

$87 6.1% 52.5% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,932 in Austin, TX and $631 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 173% 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: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $219 per month, with Al Khobar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇸🇦 Al Khobar

🕒 Local time

02:13 2:13 AM

10:13 10:13 AM

8 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

219,679

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇸🇦 Saudi Riyal (ر.س)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.21 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

SAR to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Al Khobar 12,860 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Al Khobar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Austin, TX vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 173% higher in Austin, TX, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,932 in Austin, TX versus $631 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 65% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,509 in Austin, TX versus $602 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,435 in Al Khobar versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar 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, Austin, TX 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 Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.