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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,856 in Benalmadena versus $1,353 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,847 in Benalmadena versus $2,112 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,839 in Benalmadena versus $2,870 in Al Khobar.

Living in Benalmadena is roughly 37% more expensive than Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Benalmadena 39% above, Al Khobar 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.62 €11.73

$6.61 SAR 24.80

106.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 €46.07

$54.0 SAR 203

-0.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.51 €8.19

$8.05 SAR 30.20

18.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.74

Cappuccino

$2.25 €1.94

$4.23 SAR 15.86

-46.81%

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

$2.26 €1.94

$0.94 SAR 3.51

140.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 €1.62

$0.48 SAR 1.81

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 €2.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 €3.65

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-31.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.40 SAR 5.24

12.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$2.37 SAR 8.90

-19.83%

Eggs

$3.31 €2.85

$2.83 SAR 10.62

16.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 €13.09

$6.79 SAR 25.46

123.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 €8.18

$9.15 SAR 34.33

3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.20 €15.67

$12.28 SAR 46.09

48.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.50 SAR 9.39

-1.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 €1.87

$1.73 SAR 6.50

25.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 €1.51

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-20.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 €2.38

$1.58 SAR 5.92

74.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 €1.53

$1.49 SAR 5.60

19.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$1.74 SAR 6.51

22.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-17.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 €0.66

$0.60 SAR 2.24

28.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 €5.50

$6.68 SAR 25.08

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 €5.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 €1.96

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.89 SAR 3.32

125.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.59 €28.92

$59.6 SAR 224

-43.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 €3.92

$2.24 SAR 8.41

103.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 €0.95

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-19.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.31 €20.94

$6.83 SAR 25.65

255.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.63 SAR 2.38

177.78%

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

$39.4K €33.9K

$21.7K SAR 81.6K

81.12%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$23.1K SAR 86.9K

33.59%

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

$135 €117

$122 SAR 457

11.11%

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

$17.45 €15.02

$34.14 SAR 128

-48.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.62 €31.53

$80.5 SAR 302

-54.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.28 €40.72

$108 SAR 404

-56.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.18 €13.07

$36.22 SAR 136

-58.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 €7.91

$17.10 SAR 64.2

-46.26%

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

$463 €399

$311 SAR 1,169

48.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,824 €7,598

$7,735 SAR 29.0K

14.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.4 €73.5

$64.5 SAR 242

32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.90 €36.08

$71.1 SAR 267

-41.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 €78.6

$99.0 SAR 372

-7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.9

$80.7 SAR 303

43.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 €878

$432 SAR 1,619

136.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$917 €790

$393 SAR 1,476

133.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 €1,630

$1,052 SAR 3,949

79.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 €1,398

$804 SAR 3,016

101.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,289 €3,693

$2,374 SAR 8,910

80.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 €3,171

$1,456 SAR 5,464

152.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,112 €3,541

$1,847 SAR 6,931

122.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.84

-9.90%

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

Last update for Benalmadena: June 15, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Benalmadena and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benalmadena pays 123% 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: $54.0 in Benalmadena vs $54.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $216, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Benalmadena. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Benalmadena pays 123% more on average, 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: $1,020 in Benalmadena 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 77% less than in Benalmadena. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $463 in Benalmadena versus $311 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,353 in Al Khobar versus $1,856 in Benalmadena, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Benalmadena. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,353 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Benalmadena 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 37% less than in Benalmadena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.