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: $1,413 in Beirut versus $1,363 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,296 in Beirut versus $2,155 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Beirut versus $2,946 in Al Khobar.

Living in Beirut is roughly 4% more expensive than Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 5% above, Al Khobar 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 LBP 971.5K

$6.47 SAR 24.25

67.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.7 LBP 5.4M

$54.2 SAR 203

11.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 LBP 719.8K

$7.81 SAR 29.27

2.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

Cappuccino

$3.27 LBP 293.0K

$4.33 SAR 16.24

-24.48%

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

$1.58 LBP 141.8K

$1.02 SAR 3.82

54.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$0.52 SAR 1.96

78.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 LBP 316.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LBP 155.0K

$1.71 SAR 6.41

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 LBP 70.0K

$1.32 SAR 4.97

-40.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.5K

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-25.21%

Eggs

$3.08 LBP 275.5K

$2.91 SAR 10.91

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.19 LBP 1.0M

$6.73 SAR 25.23

66.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 LBP 857.4K

$9.15 SAR 34.31

4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$12.45 SAR 46.70

-7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.7K

$2.46 SAR 9.22

-26.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.7K

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

$2.12 SAR 7.97

-46.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 93.6K

$1.64 SAR 6.13

-35.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.8K

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 LBP 88.8K

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-41.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 LBP 73.9K

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-50.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 50.5K

$0.60 SAR 2.23

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.4K

$6.55 SAR 24.56

-61.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 LBP 967.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 111.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 LBP 191.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 LBP 177.7K

$0.89 SAR 3.32

123.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 LBP 6.4M

$61.3 SAR 230

16.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.04 LBP 451.1K

$2.25 SAR 8.44

124.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.5K

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-10.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 LBP 1.8M

$6.78 SAR 25.44

199.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 LBP 79.3K

$0.65 SAR 2.43

36.92%

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

$34.4K LBP 3.1B

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

60.78%

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

$27.3K LBP 2.4B

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

17.89%

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

$211 LBP 18.9M

$122 SAR 457

73.49%

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

$37.77 LBP 3.4M

$35.22 SAR 132

7.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.96 LBP 3.3M

$80.5 SAR 302

-54.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.7 LBP 6.1M

$109 SAR 408

-37.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.78 LBP 2.7M

$36.80 SAR 138

-19.08%

Cinema Ticket

$8.02 LBP 717.9K

$17.50 SAR 65.6

-54.17%

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

$302 LBP 27.1M

$305 SAR 1,145

-0.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,498 LBP 402.6M

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

-40.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 LBP 6.2M

$64.0 SAR 240

9.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.24 LBP 4.0M

$69.5 SAR 261

-36.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$97.9 SAR 367

24.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 LBP 8.3M

$80.0 SAR 300

16.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 LBP 70.3M

$432 SAR 1,621

81.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 LBP 33.1M

$393 SAR 1,472

-5.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 LBP 176.3M

$1,035 SAR 3,881

90.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$975 LBP 87.3M

$801 SAR 3,005

21.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,789 LBP 339.1M

$2,469 SAR 9,261

53.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,885 LBP 168.7M

$1,461 SAR 5,480

28.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 LBP 57.2M

$1,921 SAR 7,202

-66.72%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $786 in Beirut and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 200% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61 in Beirut vs $54 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $216 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 4% 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 200% 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: $786 in Beirut versus $432 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 16% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $302 in Beirut versus $305 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,363 in Al Khobar versus $1,413 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 4% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.