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: $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Jubail versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,282 in Jubail versus $2,958 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

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$6.67 SAR 25.03

-0.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$52.7 SAR 198

-24.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$8.04 SAR 30.18

12.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-9.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

$2.69 SAR 10.09

7.06%

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-22.35%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-45.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.70 SAR 6.38

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.30 SAR 8.64

-29.57%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-16.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$6.70 SAR 25.15

17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-24.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$12.58 SAR 47.21

-13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-4.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-26.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-13.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-20.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-6.35%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

$2.61 SAR 9.79

14.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

$1.46 SAR 5.50

32.19%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

$1.96 SAR 7.35

25.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$6.81 SAR 25.55

4.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$61.2 SAR 230

-58.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$2.19 SAR 8.21

79.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.30 SAR 4.87

41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$6.56 SAR 24.62

162.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

-6.79%

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

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

2.51%

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

$99.1 SAR 372

$125 SAR 468

-20.58%

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

$31.64 SAR 119

$34.88 SAR 131

-9.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$81.1 SAR 304

-21.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$109 SAR 410

-18.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$36.43 SAR 137

-2.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-21.86%

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

$203 SAR 762

$304 SAR 1,140

-33.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

9.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$64.5 SAR 242

-41.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$69.2 SAR 260

-10.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$99.5 SAR 373

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$78.1 SAR 293

2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$439 SAR 1,648

-7.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$405 SAR 1,521

-30.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-36.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$811 SAR 3,043

-37.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$2,399 SAR 9,003

6.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$1,466 SAR 5,502

-12.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$1,861 SAR 6,983

-14.12%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Jubail and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 16% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 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, Al Khobar earns 16% 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: $405 in Jubail versus $439 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 $203 in Jubail versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,346 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.