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: $1,907 in Benalmadena versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,832 in Benalmadena versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Benalmadena versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Benalmadena is roughly 33% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Benalmadena 39% above, Al Khobar 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 €13.26

$6.83 SAR 25.66

122.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.3

$60.2 SAR 226

14.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 €8.55

$7.83 SAR 29.42

25.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.99

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-48.77%

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

$2.13 €1.86

$0.99 SAR 3.74

115.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 €1.97

$0.41 SAR 1.53

448.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 €3.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 €4.10

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.14

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-19.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 €1.44

$1.26 SAR 4.72

30.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 €1.62

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-26.48%

Eggs

$3.47 €3.02

$2.36 SAR 8.88

47.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 €13.27

$7.20 SAR 27.04

111.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.83 €7.69

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-11.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 €14.47

$11.85 SAR 44.49

40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.55 €2.22

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 €1.74

$1.76 SAR 6.62

13.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.61

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-9.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.21

$1.81 SAR 6.81

40.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 €1.66

$1.40 SAR 5.25

35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 €1.92

$1.70 SAR 6.39

29.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 €1.32

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-12.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 €0.70

$0.59 SAR 2.20

35.59%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 €5.88

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-1.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 €5.80

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 €1.07

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 €1.73

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 €1.79

$0.80 SAR 3.02

156.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.65 €30.21

$68.8 SAR 258

-49.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 €1.72

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-41.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 €1.11

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-52.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.45 €20.44

$6.69 SAR 25.13

250.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.56

$0.60 SAR 2.27

198.33%

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

$35.8K €31.2K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-47.29%

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

$30.5K €26.6K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

37.02%

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

$148 €129

$98.7 SAR 371

49.56%

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

$13.30 €11.59

$32.44 SAR 122

-59.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 €28.67

$68.3 SAR 257

-51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.86 €43.47

$82.1 SAR 308

-39.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 €14.89

$36.49 SAR 137

-53.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 €7.24

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-44.85%

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

$567 €494

$611 SAR 2,294

-7.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,640 €8,403

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

14.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.7 €80.8

$63.4 SAR 238

46.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.47 €35.28

$81.7 SAR 307

-50.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 €87.0

$97.2 SAR 365

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €101

$94.5 SAR 355

22.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 €881

$642 SAR 2,412

57.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 €797

$512 SAR 1,921

78.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,758 €1,533

$1,183 SAR 4,442

48.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 €1,352

$852 SAR 3,201

81.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,270 €3,722

$2,432 SAR 9,134

75.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,647 €3,179

$1,467 SAR 5,512

148.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,035 €3,518

$1,830 SAR 6,872

120.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.31

5.88

-43.71%

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

Last update for Benalmadena: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,010 in Benalmadena and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Benalmadena pays 121% 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: $69.0 in Benalmadena vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $284 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

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

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 33% 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.

Average pay runs 121% higher in Benalmadena, 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: $1,010 in Benalmadena versus $642 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 98% less than in Benalmadena. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $567 in Benalmadena versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,907 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 $1,434 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 33% less than in Benalmadena. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.