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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Jeddah versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,858 in Jeddah versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,514 in Jeddah versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Jeddah costs roughly 11% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.53

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-3.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.72 SAR 153

$52.6 SAR 197

-22.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$8.05 SAR 30.20

1.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.02 SAR 7.59

8.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-22.79%

Cappuccino

$3.58 SAR 13.44

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-17.13%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-50.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 SAR 6.51

$1.69 SAR 6.34

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-30.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.61

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-1.29%

Eggs

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$6.59 SAR 24.72

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 SAR 28.69

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-16.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 SAR 46.33

$12.70 SAR 47.65

-2.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-26.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.78

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-6.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 SAR 4.54

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-27.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.96

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-40.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.23

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-3.23%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.08 SAR 15.31

$2.68 SAR 10.05

52.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$1.42 SAR 5.34

37.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$1.97 SAR 7.39

25.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 SAR 25.36

$6.75 SAR 25.35

0.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$0.92 SAR 3.45

47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.64 SAR 149

$61.6 SAR 231

-35.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.13

$2.25 SAR 8.44

43.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$1.30 SAR 4.87

44.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 SAR 57.7

$6.59 SAR 24.74

133.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

27.22%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-5.48%

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

$105 SAR 393

$123 SAR 461

-14.58%

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

$32.31 SAR 121

$34.93 SAR 131

-7.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$80.1 SAR 301

-12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.9 SAR 341

$107 SAR 400

-14.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.17 SAR 170

$36.08 SAR 135

25.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 SAR 49.25

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-25.71%

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

$400 SAR 1,500

$307 SAR 1,151

30.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,414 SAR 24.1K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-15.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$63.8 SAR 239

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 SAR 218

$70.0 SAR 263

-17.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 SAR 347

$98.7 SAR 370

-6.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 SAR 317

$80.8 SAR 303

4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 SAR 1,881

$433 SAR 1,624

15.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 SAR 1,464

$397 SAR 1,489

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 SAR 3,374

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 SAR 2,321

$790 SAR 2,965

-21.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 SAR 6,100

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-32.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,014 SAR 3,805

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-30.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,657 SAR 6,218

$1,866 SAR 7,005

-11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.84

17.19%

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

Last update for Jeddah: May 30, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Jeddah and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 13% 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: $41.00 in Jeddah vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $217 per month, with Jeddah 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

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

Jeddah wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jeddah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 13% 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: $501 in Jeddah 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 Jeddah runs roughly 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $400 in Jeddah versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,202 in Jeddah versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Jeddah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Jeddah 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, Jeddah 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 Jeddah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.