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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,478 in Medina versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Medina versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,219 in Medina versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Medina is roughly 10% more expensive than Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medina 10% above, Al Khobar 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 SAR 20.55

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-18.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.47 SAR 118

$52.6 SAR 197

-40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.68

$8.05 SAR 30.20

1.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-18.81%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$2.55 SAR 9.56

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-40.97%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.07

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-18.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-23.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-28.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.33 SAR 8.75

1.72%

Eggs

$2.12 SAR 7.97

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-27.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.35

$6.59 SAR 24.72

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 SAR 26.13

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 SAR 47.44

$12.70 SAR 47.65

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-3.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.94

$1.74 SAR 6.54

21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.11 SAR 7.90

7.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-13.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-43.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$0.62 SAR 2.33

40.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.68 SAR 10.05

-51.12%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.42 SAR 5.34

20.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-16.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.44

$6.75 SAR 25.35

12.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.92 SAR 3.45

14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.18 SAR 140

$61.6 SAR 231

-39.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.25 SAR 8.44

-41.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.30 SAR 4.87

26.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.48

$6.59 SAR 24.74

-17.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.60 SAR 2.25

6.67%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

-0.10%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-6.74%

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

$199 SAR 748

$123 SAR 461

62.33%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$34.93 SAR 131

-5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$80.1 SAR 301

30.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.4 SAR 283

$107 SAR 400

-29.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 SAR 33.80

$36.08 SAR 135

-75.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.38

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-25.48%

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

$290 SAR 1,088

$307 SAR 1,151

-5.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.12 SAR 139

$63.8 SAR 239

-41.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$70.0 SAR 263

-25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 SAR 247

$98.7 SAR 370

-33.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 SAR 363

$80.8 SAR 303

19.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$433 SAR 1,624

-2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,085

$397 SAR 1,489

40.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 SAR 2,670

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,547

$790 SAR 2,965

-47.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 SAR 8,782

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-3.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,313 SAR 4,929

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-9.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,316 SAR 4,940

$1,866 SAR 7,005

-29.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

-21.87%

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

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $424 in Medina and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Medina vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $217 per month, with Medina 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

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

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Medina. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 42% 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: $424 in Medina versus $433 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 66% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $290 in Medina versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,478 in Medina, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Medina. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar 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, Medina 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.