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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,090 in Rabigh versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Rabigh versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,372 in Rabigh versus $2,960 in Al Khobar.

Living in Rabigh costs roughly 23% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabigh is 21% below, Al Khobar is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 SAR 24.91

$6.69 SAR 25.13

-0.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$59.3 SAR 223

-9.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 SAR 31.87

$7.92 SAR 29.73

7.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 SAR 9.46

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-2.70%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-4.07%

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.91

$4.32 SAR 16.21

-14.35%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.89

$1.00 SAR 3.74

4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-36.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.62 SAR 6.08

8.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.26 SAR 4.75

1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.43 SAR 9.13

-8.23%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.40 SAR 9.02

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.27 SAR 23.56

$7.11 SAR 26.72

-11.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.15

$10.25 SAR 38.48

-21.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 SAR 49.40

$11.75 SAR 44.13

11.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-26.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.97 SAR 7.42

-20.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.21

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-17.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$1.68 SAR 6.30

-36.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$0.55 SAR 2.05

-9.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.82

$2.60 SAR 9.75

61.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.59 SAR 5.96

16.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.81 SAR 6.79

43.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.52 SAR 24.48

$6.54 SAR 24.56

-0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 SAR 3.77

$0.74 SAR 2.79

35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.97 SAR 116

$66.6 SAR 250

-53.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 SAR 11.86

$3.40 SAR 12.78

-7.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-35.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.67 SAR 51.4

$6.75 SAR 25.36

102.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$0.60 SAR 2.25

6.67%

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

$48.0K SAR 180.2K

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-28.63%

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

$21.8K SAR 81.8K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

-2.20%

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

$100 SAR 376

-0.17%

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

$38.76 SAR 146

$32.10 SAR 121

20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 SAR 252

$68.3 SAR 256

-1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 SAR 300

$81.6 SAR 306

-2.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.10 SAR 121

$36.00 SAR 135

-10.83%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 SAR 45.50

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-22.26%

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

$730 SAR 2,740

$590 SAR 2,216

23.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K SAR 60.7K

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

88.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 SAR 259

$62.4 SAR 234

10.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 SAR 222

$83.5 SAR 313

-29.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 SAR 364

$95.7 SAR 359

1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 SAR 368

$91.4 SAR 343

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 SAR 1,227

$645 SAR 2,423

-49.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 SAR 902

$496 SAR 1,864

-51.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 SAR 2,287

$1,188 SAR 4,463

-48.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,592

$876 SAR 3,289

-51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,584 SAR 9,704

$2,382 SAR 8,944

8.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 SAR 4,430

$1,464 SAR 5,498

-19.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.88

-8.33%

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

Last update for Rabigh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $327 in Rabigh and $645 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Rabigh vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $218 per month, with Rabigh 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

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

Rabigh wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rabigh the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,635 in Rabigh 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: $327 in Rabigh versus $645 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 115% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $730 in Rabigh versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,090 in Rabigh versus $1,415 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh 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, Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.