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: $1,362 in Jeddah versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,108 in Jeddah versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,855 in Jeddah versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Jeddah costs roughly 3% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeddah is 1% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$6.53 SAR 24.53

2.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 SAR 199

$60.0 SAR 225

-11.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 SAR 30.64

$7.77 SAR 29.18

5.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-5.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$2.70 SAR 10.15

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.28

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-21.16%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$0.91 SAR 3.41

9.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-41.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.64 SAR 6.15

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-10.57%

Eggs

$2.37 SAR 8.91

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$7.18 SAR 26.95

-11.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.30 SAR 31.17

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 SAR 49.13

$11.61 SAR 43.59

12.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.33

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.25

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-16.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.83

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-35.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.02

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

$2.63 SAR 9.86

59.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.64 SAR 6.17

10.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 SAR 9.32

$1.89 SAR 7.10

31.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 SAR 24.21

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-2.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$0.78 SAR 2.95

39.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 SAR 206

$67.3 SAR 253

-18.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.80

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-3.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-35.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.91 SAR 52.2

$6.81 SAR 25.57

104.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-4.76%

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

$48.0K SAR 180.1K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-26.85%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-2.73%

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

$102 SAR 384

$98.6 SAR 370

3.77%

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

$38.54 SAR 145

$32.61 SAR 122

18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$70.2 SAR 264

-3.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.1 SAR 327

$79.9 SAR 300

8.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.18 SAR 155

$36.21 SAR 136

13.73%

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 SAR 44.56

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-21.65%

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

$728 SAR 2,733

$600 SAR 2,253

21.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K SAR 61.1K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

96.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$63.5 SAR 238

8.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 224

$81.4 SAR 306

-26.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$97.5 SAR 366

-1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$92.5 SAR 347

5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,904

$620 SAR 2,328

24.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 SAR 1,994

$499 SAR 1,872

6.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 SAR 5,497

$1,184 SAR 4,445

23.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$831 SAR 3,121

$847 SAR 3,180

-1.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 SAR 6,555

$2,411 SAR 9,054

-27.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,145 SAR 4,301

$1,423 SAR 5,342

-19.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,664 SAR 6,249

$1,843 SAR 6,920

-9.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.88

-8.33%

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

Last update for Jeddah: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $773 in Jeddah and $620 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 11% 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: $53.0 in Jeddah vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $216 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 3% 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, salaries run 11% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $773 in Jeddah versus $620 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 23% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $728 in Jeddah versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,362 in Jeddah versus $1,402 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 3% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.