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: $1,218 in Jeddah versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,846 in Jeddah versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,474 in Jeddah versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Jeddah costs roughly 9% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jeddah is 9% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$6.82 SAR 25.59

-4.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$54.0 SAR 203

-26.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-4.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.98 SAR 7.44

9.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-22.22%

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$4.26 SAR 16.00

-11.27%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-3.88%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$6.94 SAR 26.04

6.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$12.61 SAR 47.33

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.57 SAR 5.88

0.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-5.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

$2.70 SAR 10.13

55.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.46 SAR 5.48

29.45%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

$1.88 SAR 7.04

32.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$6.51 SAR 24.44

4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.92 SAR 3.44

41.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$60.1 SAR 225

-33.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$2.26 SAR 8.48

40.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.35 SAR 5.06

37.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$6.60 SAR 24.78

127.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-7.69%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

23.66%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-6.29%

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

$108 SAR 406

$124 SAR 466

-12.84%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$34.51 SAR 130

-6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$80.7 SAR 303

-13.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$109 SAR 410

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$36.80 SAR 138

22.66%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-23.91%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$306 SAR 1,147

33.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-15.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$63.4 SAR 238

-1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$69.8 SAR 262

-17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$100 SAR 376

-5.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$80.4 SAR 302

4.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$433 SAR 1,627

16.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$401 SAR 1,505

-4.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-14.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$813 SAR 3,054

-26.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$2,442 SAR 9,169

-32.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$1,423 SAR 5,344

-28.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$1,856 SAR 6,970

-10.59%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $507 in Jeddah and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 12% 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: $40.00 in Jeddah vs $54.0 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 9% 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 12% 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: $507 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 51% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $407 in Jeddah versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,218 in Jeddah versus $1,332 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.