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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,302 in Dhahran versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Dhahran versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,697 in Dhahran versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Dhahran costs roughly 2% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dhahran is 3% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-22.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$54.0 SAR 203

-25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-10.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

$1.98 SAR 7.44

1.52%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-41.11%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-13.85%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-59.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-15.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-6.90%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-18.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$6.94 SAR 26.05

-5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$12.61 SAR 47.34

7.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-17.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-17.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-15.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-43.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-5.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

$2.70 SAR 10.14

76.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

$1.46 SAR 5.48

36.99%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$1.88 SAR 7.04

-17.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$6.51 SAR 24.45

41.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.92 SAR 3.44

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$60.1 SAR 225

-32.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.26 SAR 8.48

-39.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$1.35 SAR 5.06

74.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$6.60 SAR 24.78

100.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-1.54%

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

48.84%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

7.45%

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

$106 SAR 397

$124 SAR 466

-14.79%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$34.51 SAR 130

6.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$80.7 SAR 303

-10.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$109 SAR 410

67.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$36.80 SAR 138

-3.42%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-30.30%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$306 SAR 1,147

32.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

28.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$63.4 SAR 238

-5.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$69.8 SAR 262

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$100 SAR 376

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$80.4 SAR 302

19.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$433 SAR 1,627

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$401 SAR 1,505

-4.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-20.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$813 SAR 3,054

-22.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$2,442 SAR 9,169

-54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$1,423 SAR 5,344

-25.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$1,856 SAR 6,971

55.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Dhahran: July 11, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Dhahran and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dhahran pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dhahran vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $217 per month, with Dhahran 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

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

Dhahran wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dhahran the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 55% higher in Dhahran, 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: $439 in Dhahran versus $433 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dhahran runs roughly 49% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $403 in Dhahran versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,302 in Dhahran versus $1,332 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Dhahran but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Dhahran 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, Dhahran 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 Dhahran gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.