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: $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Jubail versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 22% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jubail is 22% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$6.80 SAR 25.51

-4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 SAR 151

$52.4 SAR 196

-23.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 SAR 34.84

$7.81 SAR 29.27

18.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-10.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

$2.73 SAR 10.23

4.40%

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-19.86%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-18.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-46.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.77 SAR 6.63

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-26.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-32.08%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.44

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$6.88 SAR 25.80

19.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 SAR 25.85

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-23.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 SAR 41.96

$12.37 SAR 46.39

-9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-4.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.91

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-28.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-11.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-21.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-24.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.59 SAR 2.23

8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

$2.72 SAR 10.21

6.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$1.47 SAR 5.50

34.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.87 SAR 7.02

30.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.33

$6.59 SAR 24.71

6.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.91 SAR 3.40

6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 SAR 94.2

$59.5 SAR 223

-57.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 SAR 15.32

$2.21 SAR 8.29

84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.31 SAR 4.90

41.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 SAR 63.8

$6.69 SAR 25.08

154.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$0.63 SAR 2.38

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

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

-3.59%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

4.93%

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

$98.8 SAR 371

$123 SAR 461

-19.59%

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

$31.97 SAR 120

$34.30 SAR 129

-6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 SAR 244

$80.9 SAR 303

-19.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$109 SAR 409

-19.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$36.07 SAR 135

-0.47%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 SAR 52.1

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-19.01%

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

$202 SAR 759

$306 SAR 1,147

-33.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

10.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.63 SAR 145

$62.9 SAR 236

-38.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 SAR 233

$68.8 SAR 258

-9.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 SAR 313

$99.1 SAR 372

-15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 SAR 298

$79.1 SAR 297

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,513

$437 SAR 1,639

-7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 SAR 1,039

$394 SAR 1,479

-29.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 SAR 2,456

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-37.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 SAR 1,892

$788 SAR 2,955

-35.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,522 SAR 9,458

$2,411 SAR 9,040

4.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 SAR 4,934

$1,432 SAR 5,370

-8.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,008

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-17.50%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 21% 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 Jubail vs $52.0 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 28% 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, Al Khobar earns 21% 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: $403 in Jubail versus $437 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 137% 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 $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,341 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 28% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.