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: $661 in Khafji versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,044 in Khafji versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,426 in Khafji versus $2,960 in Al Khobar.

Living in Khafji costs roughly 53% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Khafji is 52% below, Al Khobar is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 SAR 12.12

$6.69 SAR 25.13

-51.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.81 SAR 131

$59.3 SAR 223

-41.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 SAR 19.53

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-34.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-62.55%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-41.48%

Cappuccino

$2.96 SAR 11.12

$4.32 SAR 16.21

-31.48%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.90

$1.00 SAR 3.74

-23.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.73

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

$1.62 SAR 6.08

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.26 SAR 4.75

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.40 SAR 9.02

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 SAR 27.35

$7.11 SAR 26.72

2.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 SAR 29.79

$10.25 SAR 38.48

-22.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 SAR 48.47

$11.75 SAR 44.13

9.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-19.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.97 SAR 7.42

-17.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-12.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.22

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-17.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.33

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-29.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 SAR 4.78

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-24.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.14

$0.55 SAR 2.05

3.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.05 SAR 15.21

$2.60 SAR 9.75

55.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SAR 5.63

$1.59 SAR 5.96

-5.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.81 SAR 6.79

17.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 SAR 29.23

$6.54 SAR 24.56

18.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$3.40 SAR 12.78

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.25 SAR 49.76

$6.75 SAR 25.36

96.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.25

1.67%

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

$66.2K SAR 248.5K

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-1.57%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

-3.41%

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

$131 SAR 490

$100 SAR 376

30.17%

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

$32.66 SAR 123

$32.10 SAR 121

1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 SAR 236

$68.3 SAR 256

-8.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 SAR 49.58

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-15.33%

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

$135 SAR 508

$590 SAR 2,216

-77.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,942 SAR 14.8K

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

-53.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.63 SAR 160

$62.4 SAR 234

-31.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.91 SAR 187

$83.5 SAR 313

-40.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 SAR 368

$95.7 SAR 359

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 SAR 343

$91.4 SAR 343

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 SAR 2,546

$645 SAR 2,423

5.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

5.88

0.34%

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

Last update for Khafji: September 6, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Khafji and $645 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Khafji vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $218 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 114% 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 $992 in Khafji and $2,122 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: $678 in Khafji versus $645 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $135 in Khafji versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Khafji – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $59.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $661 in Khafji versus $1,415 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 114% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.