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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,247 in Jubail versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 20% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 21% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 SAR 25.29

$6.47 SAR 24.31

4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.37 SAR 148

$53.2 SAR 200

-25.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.41 SAR 35.34

$7.78 SAR 29.20

20.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-4.95%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SAR 10.94

$2.64 SAR 9.92

10.23%

Cappuccino

$3.34 SAR 12.55

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-23.74%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-25.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-45.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.75 SAR 6.57

4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-28.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-30.00%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-11.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 SAR 30.74

$6.64 SAR 24.92

23.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 SAR 25.75

$8.95 SAR 33.59

-23.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 SAR 41.60

$12.73 SAR 47.81

-12.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.74 SAR 6.51

-4.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-26.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.57 SAR 5.90

-10.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.19

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-17.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 SAR 5.29

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-17.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.58 SAR 2.19

3.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

$2.61 SAR 9.81

14.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

$1.42 SAR 5.33

41.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 SAR 8.76

$1.98 SAR 7.42

17.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.26 SAR 27.27

$6.62 SAR 24.85

9.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$0.96 SAR 3.60

-5.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.68 SAR 96.4

$61.6 SAR 231

-58.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 SAR 15.19

$2.23 SAR 8.38

81.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.31 SAR 4.93

38.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.99 SAR 63.8

$6.79 SAR 25.48

150.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-1.54%

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

$19.7K SAR 73.9K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

-7.36%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

5.66%

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

$102 SAR 381

$122 SAR 457

-16.67%

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

$31.84 SAR 120

$34.21 SAR 128

-6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 SAR 242

$81.4 SAR 305

-20.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.4 SAR 336

$106 SAR 400

-16.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.40 SAR 133

$36.66 SAR 138

-3.44%

Cinema Ticket

$14.00 SAR 52.5

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-18.22%

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

$202 SAR 757

$301 SAR 1,128

-32.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,592 SAR 32.3K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

12.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 SAR 141

$63.6 SAR 239

-41.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.2 SAR 230

$69.1 SAR 259

-11.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 SAR 318

$100.0 SAR 375

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$78.0 SAR 293

3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,514

$430 SAR 1,615

-6.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 SAR 1,024

$394 SAR 1,478

-30.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,390

$1,049 SAR 3,937

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 SAR 1,868

$800 SAR 3,003

-37.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,545 SAR 9,554

$2,385 SAR 8,953

6.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,317 SAR 4,944

$1,459 SAR 5,478

-9.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 SAR 6,107

$1,822 SAR 6,841

-10.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.84

38.80%

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

Last update for Jubail: July 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $430 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: $39.00 in Jubail vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $216 per month, with Jubail 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

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

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail 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: $403 in Jubail versus $430 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 140% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $202 in Jubail versus $301 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,054 in Jubail versus $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail 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, Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.