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: $1,186 in Khafji versus $1,363 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,822 in Khafji versus $2,155 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,457 in Khafji versus $2,946 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 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 SAR 11.71

$6.47 SAR 24.25

-51.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$54.2 SAR 203

-1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 SAR 18.57

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-36.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-51.53%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-42.12%

Cappuccino

$2.86 SAR 10.71

$4.33 SAR 16.24

-33.95%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.02 SAR 3.82

-17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.52 SAR 1.96

-26.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$1.32 SAR 4.97

5.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-9.40%

Eggs

$2.21 SAR 8.28

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 SAR 22.83

$6.73 SAR 25.23

-9.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.81

$9.15 SAR 34.31

-18.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.86 SAR 36.99

$12.45 SAR 46.70

-20.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 SAR 8.26

$2.46 SAR 9.22

-10.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$2.12 SAR 7.97

-32.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.64 SAR 6.13

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-10.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-20.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-22.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.06

$0.60 SAR 2.23

-8.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.78

$2.63 SAR 9.84

60.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.42 SAR 5.32

14.79%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$1.95 SAR 7.30

3.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 SAR 29.30

$6.55 SAR 24.56

19.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.89 SAR 3.32

19.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.63 SAR 152

$61.3 SAR 230

-33.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.27 SAR 12.28

$2.25 SAR 8.44

45.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$1.36 SAR 5.11

36.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.39 SAR 50.2

$6.78 SAR 25.44

97.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-7.69%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.9K

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

7.14%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.0K

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

-9.10%

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

$117 SAR 440

$122 SAR 457

-3.68%

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

$38.81 SAR 146

$35.22 SAR 132

10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$80.5 SAR 302

-21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.2 SAR 334

$109 SAR 408

-17.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$36.80 SAR 138

-3.89%

Cinema Ticket

$15.45 SAR 57.9

$17.50 SAR 65.6

-11.71%

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

$134 SAR 501

$305 SAR 1,145

-56.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,949 SAR 14.8K

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

-48.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 SAR 257

$64.0 SAR 240

7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 SAR 253

$69.5 SAR 261

-3.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 SAR 339

$97.9 SAR 367

-7.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$80.0 SAR 300

7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 SAR 1,652

$432 SAR 1,621

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,403

$393 SAR 1,472

-4.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,151

$1,035 SAR 3,881

-18.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SAR 2,334

$801 SAR 3,005

-22.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,657 SAR 9,965

$2,469 SAR 9,261

7.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,376 SAR 5,159

$1,461 SAR 5,480

-5.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,921 SAR 7,202

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $441 in Khafji and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Khafji vs $54 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $216 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 15% 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 $1,779 in Khafji and $2,044 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: $441 in Khafji versus $432 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 51% 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 $305 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,186 in Khafji versus $1,363 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 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.