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: $1,331 in Medina versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,792 in Medina versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,254 in Medina versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Medina costs roughly 5% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medina is 3% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.47 SAR 20.53

$6.53 SAR 24.53

-16.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.95 SAR 120

$60.0 SAR 225

-46.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.79 SAR 29.25

$7.77 SAR 29.18

0.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-39.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-37.04%

Cappuccino

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-41.87%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.91

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 SAR 5.53

$1.64 SAR 6.15

-10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 SAR 3.39

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.95

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-3.25%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.20 SAR 19.52

$7.18 SAR 26.95

-27.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 SAR 26.28

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-29.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.75 SAR 47.87

$11.61 SAR 43.59

9.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

$1.74 SAR 6.54

8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.05 SAR 7.70

14.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-15.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.39 SAR 5.23

0.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.05

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.38

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-45.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.57 SAR 2.15

29.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-51.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-10.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-16.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.46 SAR 28.02

$6.59 SAR 24.74

13.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.78 SAR 2.95

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.80 SAR 138

$67.3 SAR 253

-45.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-58.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-37.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 SAR 21.01

$6.81 SAR 25.57

-17.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-4.76%

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

$41.2K SAR 154.6K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-37.20%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.8K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-7.82%

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

$151 SAR 568

$98.6 SAR 370

53.48%

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

$27.95 SAR 105

$32.61 SAR 122

-14.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.2 SAR 339

$70.2 SAR 264

28.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.4 SAR 294

$79.9 SAR 300

-1.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 SAR 33.06

$36.21 SAR 136

-75.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-12.87%

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

$291 SAR 1,091

$600 SAR 2,253

-51.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,476 SAR 20.6K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.44 SAR 141

$63.5 SAR 238

-41.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.3 SAR 200

$81.4 SAR 306

-34.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 SAR 247

$97.5 SAR 366

-32.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 SAR 257

$92.5 SAR 347

-26.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$562 SAR 2,110

$620 SAR 2,328

-9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 SAR 1,968

$499 SAR 1,872

5.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$753 SAR 2,826

$1,184 SAR 4,445

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 SAR 2,119

$847 SAR 3,180

-33.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,260 SAR 8,487

$2,411 SAR 9,054

-6.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 SAR 4,933

$1,423 SAR 5,342

-7.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 SAR 4,980

$1,843 SAR 6,920

-28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

5.88

-29.08%

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

Last update for Medina: September 1, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $562 in Medina and $620 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Medina vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $216 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

Medina wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medina 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: $562 in Medina versus $620 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medina runs roughly 83% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $291 in Medina versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,331 in Medina versus $1,402 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Medina but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Medina 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 Medina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.