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: $1,655 in Beirut versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,680 in Beirut versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,705 in Beirut versus $2,960 in Al Khobar.

Living in Beirut is roughly 17% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Beirut 20% above, Al Khobar 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 LBP 1.1M

$6.69 SAR 25.13

81.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 LBP 5.7M

$59.3 SAR 223

7.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 LBP 899.8K

$7.92 SAR 29.73

26.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

Cappuccino

$4.67 LBP 417.8K

$4.32 SAR 16.21

8.10%

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

$2.36 LBP 210.9K

$1.00 SAR 3.74

136.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 LBP 79.4K

$0.38 SAR 1.42

134.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 LBP 446.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.6K

$1.62 SAR 6.08

19.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

$1.26 SAR 4.75

-29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 LBP 192.0K

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-11.93%

Eggs

$3.65 LBP 326.4K

$2.40 SAR 9.02

52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 LBP 1.2M

$7.11 SAR 26.72

91.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 LBP 965.1K

$10.25 SAR 38.48

5.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 LBP 1.3M

$11.75 SAR 44.13

21.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 LBP 275.6K

$2.78 SAR 10.44

10.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 LBP 152.1K

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

$1.97 SAR 7.42

-15.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 LBP 121.3K

$1.35 SAR 5.05

0.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 LBP 148.5K

$1.63 SAR 6.13

1.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 LBP 104.7K

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-30.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 LBP 66.2K

$0.55 SAR 2.05

34.55%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 LBP 271.5K

$6.54 SAR 24.56

-53.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.80 LBP 877.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 LBP 117.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 LBP 222.5K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 LBP 200.2K

$0.74 SAR 2.79

202.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.1 LBP 6.9M

$66.6 SAR 250

15.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 LBP 436.8K

$3.40 SAR 12.78

43.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.30 LBP 206.3K

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-12.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.46 LBP 2.0M

$6.75 SAR 25.36

232.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.9K

$0.60 SAR 2.25

66.67%

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

$52.5K LBP 4.7B

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-21.84%

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

$32.5K LBP 2.9B

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

45.83%

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

$227 LBP 20.4M

$100 SAR 376

126.81%

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

$23.70 LBP 2.1M

$32.10 SAR 121

-26.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.37 LBP 3.4M

$68.3 SAR 256

-43.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.7 LBP 7.6M

$81.6 SAR 306

3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.38 LBP 3.1M

$36.00 SAR 135

-4.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 LBP 908.6K

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-34.89%

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

$680 LBP 60.9M

$590 SAR 2,216

15.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K LBP 967.7M

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

26.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

$62.4 SAR 234

10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 LBP 4.4M

$83.5 SAR 313

-41.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.4M

$95.7 SAR 359

44.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 LBP 10.8M

$91.4 SAR 343

32.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 LBP 83.1M

$645 SAR 2,423

43.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 LBP 45.1M

$496 SAR 1,864

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 LBP 201.8M

$1,188 SAR 4,463

89.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,058 LBP 94.7M

$876 SAR 3,289

20.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,902 LBP 349.3M

$2,382 SAR 8,944

63.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,805 LBP 161.6M

$1,464 SAR 5,498

23.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$716 LBP 64.1M

$1,812 SAR 6,806

-60.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

87.07%

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

Last update for Beirut: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $929 in Beirut and $645 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $64.0 in Beirut vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 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 17% 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 153% 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: $929 in Beirut versus $645 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 $680 in Beirut versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,655 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 17% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.