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: $1,300 in Dhahran versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Dhahran versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Dhahran versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Dhahran costs roughly 7% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dhahran is 5% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.34

$6.53 SAR 24.53

-17.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.08 SAR 151

$60.0 SAR 225

-33.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 SAR 22.70

$7.77 SAR 29.18

-22.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-28.57%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-40.37%

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-11.14%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-51.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-18.70%

Eggs

$3.90 SAR 14.64

$2.39 SAR 8.97

63.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SAR 33.05

$7.18 SAR 26.95

22.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SAR 41.92

$9.91 SAR 37.21

12.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 SAR 51.6

$11.61 SAR 43.59

18.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-11.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-5.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$1.39 SAR 5.23

9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-43.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.64 SAR 6.16

20.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$0.57 SAR 2.15

61.40%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.05

$2.63 SAR 9.86

82.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.89 SAR 7.10

26.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 SAR 21.17

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-14.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.78 SAR 2.95

-1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 SAR 253

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 SAR 12.57

$2.71 SAR 10.18

23.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 SAR 35.48

$6.81 SAR 25.57

38.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$53.4K SAR 200.5K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-18.55%

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

$20.4K SAR 76.8K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-6.61%

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

$60.2 SAR 226

$98.6 SAR 370

-38.92%

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

$43.47 SAR 163

$32.61 SAR 122

33.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 SAR 243

$70.2 SAR 264

-7.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$79.9 SAR 300

143.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$91.4 SAR 343

$36.21 SAR 136

152.31%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 SAR 39.82

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-29.97%

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

$65.8 SAR 247

$600 SAR 2,253

-89.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K SAR 49.5K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

59.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 SAR 189

$63.5 SAR 238

-20.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 SAR 159

$81.4 SAR 306

-48.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 SAR 285

$97.5 SAR 366

-22.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$92.5 SAR 347

-4.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 SAR 1,330

$620 SAR 2,328

-42.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$499 SAR 1,872

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 SAR 4,445

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 SAR 3,180

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,342

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 SAR 10.7K

$1,843 SAR 6,920

54.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.88

-23.47%

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

Last update for Dhahran: September 1, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Dhahran and $620 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 $60.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 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

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

Dhahran wins on cost – living expenses run 8% 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: $354 in Dhahran versus $620 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $65.8 in Dhahran versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Dhahran – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $60.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,300 in Dhahran versus $1,402 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 8% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.