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: $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,711 in Jubail versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,316 in Jubail versus $2,960 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 20% below, Al Khobar is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 SAR 25.59

$6.69 SAR 25.13

1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.68 SAR 153

$59.3 SAR 223

-31.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 SAR 33.67

$7.92 SAR 29.73

13.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-29.34%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.85

$4.32 SAR 16.21

-8.33%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.00 SAR 3.74

1.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-3.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.26 SAR 4.75

13.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-33.74%

Eggs

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.40 SAR 9.02

-10.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.47

$7.11 SAR 26.72

21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 SAR 23.31

$10.25 SAR 38.48

-39.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.44

$11.75 SAR 44.13

-8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-21.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.72 SAR 6.45

4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$1.97 SAR 7.42

-19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-4.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-15.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.68 SAR 6.30

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.55 SAR 2.05

-7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.60 SAR 9.75

11.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.59 SAR 5.96

35.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

$1.81 SAR 6.79

13.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.63

$6.54 SAR 24.56

4.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.90

$0.74 SAR 2.79

75.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 SAR 90.2

$66.6 SAR 250

-63.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SAR 12.84

$3.40 SAR 12.78

0.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.62 SAR 9.83

4.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.27

$6.75 SAR 25.36

94.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-32.40%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

-6.47%

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

$81.1 SAR 305

$100 SAR 376

-19.06%

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

$27.49 SAR 103

$32.10 SAR 121

-14.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$68.3 SAR 256

-2.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 384

$81.6 SAR 306

25.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 SAR 150

$36.00 SAR 135

10.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-13.73%

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

$177 SAR 666

$590 SAR 2,216

-69.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,825 SAR 29.4K

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

-8.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 SAR 155

$62.4 SAR 234

-33.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$83.5 SAR 313

-28.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 SAR 306

$95.7 SAR 359

-14.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 SAR 321

$91.4 SAR 343

-6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,595

$645 SAR 2,423

-34.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 SAR 1,100

$496 SAR 1,864

-40.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,424

$1,188 SAR 4,463

-45.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 SAR 1,974

$876 SAR 3,289

-39.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

$2,382 SAR 8,944

13.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,205

$1,464 SAR 5,498

-5.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,016

$1,812 SAR 6,806

-11.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

5.88

-4.42%

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

Last update for Jubail: September 5, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Jubail and $645 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 Jubail vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $218 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, salaries run 13% 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: $425 in Jubail versus $645 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 177% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $177 in Jubail versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,415 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.