Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Hafar Al Batin and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,214 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,788 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,362 in Hafar Al Batin versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Living in Hafar Al Batin costs roughly 10% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hafar Al Batin is 10% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 SAR 19.76

$6.67 SAR 25.03

-20.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.33 SAR 98.8

$52.7 SAR 198

-50.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 SAR 23.91

$8.04 SAR 30.18

-20.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-24.02%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-36.43%

Cappuccino

$3.40 SAR 12.74

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-21.66%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.59

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-26.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.82

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-56.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$1.70 SAR 6.38

15.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-31.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.30 SAR 8.64

1.74%

Eggs

$2.44 SAR 9.17

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-16.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.34

$6.70 SAR 25.15

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 SAR 27.31

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-21.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.31

$12.58 SAR 47.21

2.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-12.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.32

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-24.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-6.35%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.34

$2.61 SAR 9.79

5.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

$1.46 SAR 5.50

16.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$1.96 SAR 7.35

2.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.14 SAR 26.79

$6.81 SAR 25.55

4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.97 SAR 3.63

13.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.08 SAR 150

$61.2 SAR 230

-34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$2.19 SAR 8.21

18.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.30 SAR 4.87

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.08 SAR 49.10

$6.56 SAR 24.62

99.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$0.61 SAR 2.29

6.56%

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

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

23.82%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-2.86%

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

$103 SAR 388

$125 SAR 468

-17.18%

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

$33.83 SAR 127

$34.88 SAR 131

-3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 SAR 272

$81.1 SAR 304

-10.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$109 SAR 410

-19.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$36.43 SAR 137

-2.44%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 SAR 58.9

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-11.21%

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

$347 SAR 1,302

$304 SAR 1,140

14.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

-8.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$64.5 SAR 242

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.4 SAR 227

$69.2 SAR 260

-12.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 SAR 294

$99.5 SAR 373

-21.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$78.1 SAR 293

5.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$439 SAR 1,648

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$405 SAR 1,521

-6.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$866 SAR 3,248

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-15.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,317

$811 SAR 3,043

-23.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,030 SAR 7,617

$2,399 SAR 9,003

-15.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,509 SAR 5,661

$1,466 SAR 5,502

2.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,379 SAR 5,174

$1,861 SAR 6,983

-25.90%

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 Hafar Al Batin: June 9, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Hafar Al Batin and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 35% 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: $26.00 in Hafar Al Batin vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $218 per month, with Hafar Al Batin 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

Hafar Al Batin vs Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hafar Al Batin wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hafar Al Batin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 35% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $434 in Hafar Al Batin versus $439 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Hafar Al Batin runs roughly 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $347 in Hafar Al Batin versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,214 in Hafar Al Batin versus $1,346 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hafar Al Batin but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Hafar Al Batin 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, Hafar Al Batin 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 Hafar Al Batin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.