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: $1,397 in Beirut versus $1,355 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,320 in Beirut versus $2,119 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,244 in Beirut versus $2,883 in Al Khobar.

Living in Beirut is roughly 3% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 5% above, Al Khobar 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 LBP 978.6K

$6.56 SAR 24.61

66.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$54.3 SAR 204

11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 LBP 709.1K

$7.93 SAR 29.76

-0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.0K

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-22.20%

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

$1.64 LBP 146.6K

$0.97 SAR 3.63

69.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.8K

$0.48 SAR 1.79

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 LBP 321.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 LBP 456.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LBP 157.8K

$1.76 SAR 6.61

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 LBP 74.6K

$1.39 SAR 5.20

-40.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$2.28 SAR 8.57

-23.68%

Eggs

$3.17 LBP 283.9K

$2.93 SAR 10.99

8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.28 LBP 1.0M

$6.77 SAR 25.41

66.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.34 LBP 835.8K

$9.27 SAR 34.79

0.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 LBP 1.0M

$12.73 SAR 47.78

-11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.72 LBP 153.9K

$2.44 SAR 9.16

-29.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 129.5K

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-18.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 LBP 101.3K

$2.20 SAR 8.27

-48.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 LBP 98.0K

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-29.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 LBP 85.9K

$1.47 SAR 5.52

-34.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-38.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 LBP 73.2K

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-51.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LBP 50.1K

$0.62 SAR 2.34

-9.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.43 LBP 217.2K

$6.47 SAR 24.27

-62.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 LBP 912.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 LBP 115.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 LBP 196.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 LBP 184.3K

$0.91 SAR 3.41

126.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 LBP 6.6M

$60.3 SAR 226

22.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 LBP 449.0K

$2.24 SAR 8.42

124.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.1K

$1.36 SAR 5.09

-7.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.30 LBP 1.8M

$6.76 SAR 25.37

200.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 78.6K

$0.64 SAR 2.39

37.50%

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

$35.6K LBP 3.2B

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

65.71%

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

$28.4K LBP 2.5B

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

21.14%

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

$215 LBP 19.3M

$123 SAR 460

75.59%

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

$37.72 LBP 3.4M

$34.44 SAR 129

9.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.00 LBP 3.3M

$82.1 SAR 308

-54.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 LBP 6.2M

$107 SAR 400

-35.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.72 LBP 2.7M

$36.29 SAR 136

-18.10%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 LBP 708.3K

$17.20 SAR 64.6

-54.01%

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

$304 LBP 27.2M

$308 SAR 1,155

-1.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,510 LBP 403.6M

$7,694 SAR 28.9K

-41.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.0 LBP 6.4M

$62.8 SAR 236

14.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.40 LBP 4.0M

$70.4 SAR 264

-36.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$98.0 SAR 368

24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 LBP 8.3M

$80.6 SAR 302

15.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$811 LBP 72.6M

$440 SAR 1,652

84.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 LBP 33.2M

$405 SAR 1,520

-8.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,946 LBP 174.2M

$1,027 SAR 3,856

89.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$973 LBP 87.1M

$784 SAR 2,941

24.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 LBP 350.7M

$2,413 SAR 9,055

62.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,974 LBP 176.7M

$1,465 SAR 5,499

34.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$700 LBP 62.7M

$1,820 SAR 6,831

-61.52%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $811 in Beirut and $440 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 160% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $219 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 3% 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, salaries run 160% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $811 in Beirut versus $440 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 22% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Beirut versus $308 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,355 in Al Khobar versus $1,397 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 3% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.