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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,638 in Qatif versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,196 in Qatif versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Qatif costs roughly 25% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Qatif is 21% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 SAR 13.38

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-47.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 SAR 132

$60.2 SAR 226

-41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 SAR 25.07

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-14.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-30.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-15.38%

Cappuccino

$2.95 SAR 11.07

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-34.00%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.73

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-26.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 SAR 0.58

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-63.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.63 SAR 6.10

7.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-22.92%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-10.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.70 SAR 21.42

$7.20 SAR 27.04

-20.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.31

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-22.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 SAR 48.76

$11.85 SAR 44.49

9.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-21.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-22.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-64.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-47.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-15.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$2.61 SAR 9.81

0.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.59 SAR 5.97

-6.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.93 SAR 7.23

12.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.85

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-2.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.80 SAR 3.02

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.12 SAR 136

$68.8 SAR 258

-47.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-29.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-80.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.20

$6.69 SAR 25.13

95.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.60 SAR 2.27

1.67%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-47.19%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-6.35%

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

$103 SAR 388

$98.7 SAR 371

4.65%

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

$33.42 SAR 126

$32.44 SAR 122

3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SAR 219

$68.3 SAR 257

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.7 SAR 311

$82.1 SAR 308

0.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.55 SAR 141

$36.49 SAR 137

2.90%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.60

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-12.23%

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

$270 SAR 1,015

$611 SAR 2,294

-55.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-7.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.48 SAR 118

$63.4 SAR 238

-50.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.90 SAR 78.5

$81.7 SAR 307

-74.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.6 SAR 355

$97.2 SAR 365

-2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 SAR 340

$94.5 SAR 355

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$642 SAR 2,412

-10.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,298

$512 SAR 1,921

-32.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 SAR 3,281

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-26.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$547 SAR 2,055

$852 SAR 3,201

-35.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$951 SAR 3,573

$2,432 SAR 9,134

-60.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$783 SAR 2,942

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-46.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,249 SAR 8,448

$1,830 SAR 6,872

22.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.88

-6.46%

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

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $574 in Qatif and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Qatif vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $219 per month, with Qatif 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

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

Qatif wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Qatif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Qatif, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $574 in Qatif versus $642 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 90% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $270 in Qatif versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif 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, Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.