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: $1,451 in Medina versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Medina versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,255 in Medina versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Medina is roughly 9% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medina 9% above, Al Khobar 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 SAR 21.48

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-16.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.52 SAR 118

$54.0 SAR 203

-41.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-3.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-20.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-37.41%

Cappuccino

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-42.49%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.92

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 SAR 1.57

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-14.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-5.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SAR 3.66

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-30.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

$2.32 SAR 8.72

Eggs

$2.05 SAR 7.71

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-28.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$6.94 SAR 26.05

-3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 SAR 26.61

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 SAR 46.72

$12.61 SAR 47.34

-1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-7.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

$1.72 SAR 6.45

20.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.13 SAR 8.00

5.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.57 SAR 5.88

8.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.41 SAR 5.30

1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-15.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-42.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 SAR 3.29

$0.60 SAR 2.24

46.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-49.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.46 SAR 5.48

19.18%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.88 SAR 7.04

-13.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.61 SAR 28.57

$6.51 SAR 24.45

16.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.92 SAR 3.44

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 SAR 139

$60.1 SAR 225

-38.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$2.26 SAR 8.48

-41.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.35 SAR 5.06

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.59 SAR 20.99

$6.60 SAR 24.78

-15.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$0.65 SAR 2.43

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

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-1.83%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-5.43%

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

$203 SAR 763

$124 SAR 466

63.92%

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

$33.06 SAR 124

$34.51 SAR 130

-4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$104 SAR 392

$80.7 SAR 303

29.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 SAR 285

$109 SAR 410

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.10 SAR 34.18

$36.80 SAR 138

-75.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-22.29%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$306 SAR 1,147

-6.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$63.4 SAR 238

-40.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$69.8 SAR 262

-23.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.9 SAR 251

$100 SAR 376

-33.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 SAR 370

$80.4 SAR 302

22.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 SAR 1,633

$433 SAR 1,627

0.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,082

$401 SAR 1,505

38.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 SAR 2,674

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-32.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,574

$813 SAR 3,054

-48.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,267 SAR 8,513

$2,442 SAR 9,169

-7.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,344 SAR 5,046

$1,423 SAR 5,344

-5.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,339 SAR 5,030

$1,856 SAR 6,971

-27.85%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Medina and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Medina vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 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 9% 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, salaries run 39% lower in Al Khobar. 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: $435 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 62% less than in Medina. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $287 in Medina versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,451 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 9% less than in Medina. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.