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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,355 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,816 in Khafji versus $2,119 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,449 in Khafji versus $2,883 in Al Khobar.

Living in Khafji costs roughly 13% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Khafji is 11% below, Al Khobar is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$6.56 SAR 24.61

-49.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 SAR 203

$54.3 SAR 204

-0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 SAR 19.53

$7.93 SAR 29.76

-34.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-51.76%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-39.85%

Cappuccino

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$4.19 SAR 15.71

-28.16%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.20

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-12.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 SAR 1.39

$0.48 SAR 1.79

-22.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.76 SAR 6.61

-3.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.39 SAR 5.20

5.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$2.28 SAR 8.57

-7.89%

Eggs

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.93 SAR 10.99

-25.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 SAR 23.36

$6.77 SAR 25.41

-7.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.17 SAR 26.92

$9.27 SAR 34.79

-22.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 SAR 37.02

$12.73 SAR 47.78

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.94

$2.44 SAR 9.16

-13.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.77

$1.79 SAR 6.72

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$2.20 SAR 8.27

-33.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.57 SAR 5.90

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.58

$1.47 SAR 5.52

-17.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.01

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-20.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.62 SAR 2.34

-11.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.26 SAR 15.99

$2.70 SAR 10.12

57.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.40 SAR 5.26

12.14%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 SAR 7.29

$1.97 SAR 7.41

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.06 SAR 30.23

$6.47 SAR 24.27

24.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.91 SAR 3.41

15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.42 SAR 148

$60.3 SAR 226

-34.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.75

$2.24 SAR 8.42

51.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.36 SAR 5.09

36.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$6.76 SAR 25.37

98.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$0.64 SAR 2.39

-1.56%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.3K

$21.5K SAR 80.5K

4.68%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-9.28%

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

$118 SAR 442

$123 SAR 460

-3.87%

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

$38.00 SAR 143

$34.44 SAR 129

10.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 SAR 238

$82.1 SAR 308

-22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 SAR 323

$107 SAR 400

-19.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$36.29 SAR 136

-1.07%

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 SAR 58.2

$17.20 SAR 64.6

-9.88%

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

$134 SAR 502

$308 SAR 1,155

-56.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,072 SAR 15.3K

$7,694 SAR 28.9K

-47.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 SAR 253

$62.8 SAR 236

7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.7 SAR 254

$70.4 SAR 264

-3.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 SAR 350

$98.0 SAR 368

-4.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 SAR 315

$80.6 SAR 302

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,665

$440 SAR 1,652

0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,432

$405 SAR 1,520

-5.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 SAR 3,170

$1,027 SAR 3,856

-17.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$784 SAR 2,941

-19.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,413 SAR 9,055

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,465 SAR 5,499

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,820 SAR 6,831

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

3.84

12.76%

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

Last update for Khafji: July 20, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Khafji and $440 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Khafji vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $219 per month, with Khafji 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

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

Khafji wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khafji the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,775 in Khafji and $2,033 in Al Khobar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $444 in Khafji versus $440 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khafji runs roughly 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $134 in Khafji versus $308 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,184 in Khafji versus $1,355 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khafji but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Khafji 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, Khafji 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 Khafji gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.