Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,415 in Beirut versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Beirut versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,194 in Beirut versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Living in Beirut is roughly 5% more expensive than Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 5% above, Al Khobar 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 LBP 962.3K

$6.67 SAR 25.04

61.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 LBP 5.3M

$52.7 SAR 198

12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 LBP 700.4K

$8.04 SAR 30.19

-2.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.10

Cappuccino

$3.25 LBP 290.8K

$4.34 SAR 16.31

-25.12%

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

$1.57 LBP 140.2K

$0.94 SAR 3.53

67.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 LBP 81.8K

$0.51 SAR 1.92

78.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.58 LBP 320.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 LBP 458.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LBP 159.2K

$1.70 SAR 6.39

4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.0K

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 164.1K

$2.30 SAR 8.64

-20.43%

Eggs

$3.15 LBP 282.1K

$2.92 SAR 10.97

7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 LBP 996.1K

$6.70 SAR 25.16

66.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.46 LBP 846.6K

$9.28 SAR 34.83

1.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 LBP 1.0M

$12.58 SAR 47.24

-8.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.9K

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-29.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.6K

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 LBP 99.1K

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-50.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-36.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 LBP 88.1K

$1.42 SAR 5.34

-30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-39.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 LBP 74.8K

$1.71 SAR 6.42

-50.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-15.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.80

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.46 LBP 220.3K

$6.81 SAR 25.57

-63.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 LBP 880.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 LBP 110.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 LBP 175.2K

$0.97 SAR 3.63

102.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 LBP 6.4M

$61.2 SAR 230

17.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 LBP 444.1K

$2.19 SAR 8.21

126.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-6.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.91 LBP 1.8M

$6.56 SAR 24.64

203.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 78.5K

$0.61 SAR 2.29

44.26%

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

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

64.81%

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

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

18.89%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$125 SAR 468

74.07%

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

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

$34.88 SAR 131

8.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.74 LBP 3.3M

$81.1 SAR 305

-54.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.5 LBP 6.0M

$109 SAR 410

-38.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 LBP 2.7M

$36.43 SAR 137

-18.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 LBP 707.6K

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-55.21%

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

$301 LBP 27.0M

$304 SAR 1,140

-0.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,365 LBP 390.7M

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

-42.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

$64.5 SAR 242

8.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.58 LBP 4.1M

$69.2 SAR 260

-34.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 LBP 11.1M

$99.5 SAR 374

24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.0 LBP 8.4M

$78.1 SAR 293

20.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$814 LBP 72.8M

$439 SAR 1,649

85.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 LBP 33.0M

$405 SAR 1,522

-9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,959 LBP 175.3M

$1,020 SAR 3,832

91.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 LBP 84.6M

$811 SAR 3,044

16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,731 LBP 333.9M

$2,399 SAR 9,009

55.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,986 LBP 177.7M

$1,466 SAR 5,505

35.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$670 LBP 60.0M

$1,861 SAR 6,987

-64.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

3.84

190.63%

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

Last update for Beirut: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $814 in Beirut and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 178% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Beirut vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $218 per month, with Al Khobar 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

Beirut vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Beirut. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 178% 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: $814 in Beirut 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 Khobar runs roughly 17% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $301 in Beirut versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,415 in Beirut, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Beirut. 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, Beirut 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 5% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.