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: $1,332 in Dhahran versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,029 in Dhahran versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Dhahran versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Dhahran costs roughly 1% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dhahran is 1% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-22.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$52.6 SAR 197

-22.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.78

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-11.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

$2.02 SAR 7.59

1.49%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-40.81%

Cappuccino

$3.77 SAR 14.14

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-12.73%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-26.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-6.44%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-17.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.62

$6.59 SAR 24.72

3.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 SAR 33.18

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-3.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$12.70 SAR 47.65

6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-22.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-46.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-8.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

$2.68 SAR 10.05

80.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$1.42 SAR 5.34

39.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 SAR 35.72

$6.75 SAR 25.35

41.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.92 SAR 3.45

14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.72 SAR 153

$61.6 SAR 231

-33.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$1.30 SAR 4.87

88.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$6.59 SAR 24.74

105.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.60 SAR 2.25

8.33%

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

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

53.36%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

7.08%

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

$104 SAR 391

$123 SAR 461

-15.14%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$34.93 SAR 131

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 SAR 276

$80.1 SAR 301

-8.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 688

$107 SAR 400

71.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$36.08 SAR 135

-0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 SAR 44.66

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-32.62%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$307 SAR 1,151

34.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

31.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$63.8 SAR 239

-6.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 SAR 288

$70.0 SAR 263

9.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 SAR 317

$98.7 SAR 370

-14.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 SAR 367

$80.8 SAR 303

21.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$433 SAR 1,624

1.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,436

$397 SAR 1,489

-3.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,138

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-18.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$790 SAR 2,965

-22.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-54.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

$1,866 SAR 7,005

55.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 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: $41.00 in Dhahran vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 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 1% 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.

Dhahran pays 55% 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: $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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $414 in Dhahran versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Dhahran versus $1,344 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 1% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.