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: $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,363 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,677 in Rabigh versus $2,155 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,202 in Rabigh versus $2,946 in Al Khobar.

Living in Rabigh costs roughly 15% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rabigh is 14% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 SAR 14.81

$6.47 SAR 24.25

-38.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.47 SAR 80.5

$54.2 SAR 203

-60.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.30 SAR 27.38

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-6.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.12

$1.96 SAR 7.34

-30.10%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$2.73 SAR 10.24

-72.16%

Cappuccino

$2.47 SAR 9.25

$4.33 SAR 16.24

-42.96%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.61

$1.02 SAR 3.82

-31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.12 SAR 0.46

$0.52 SAR 1.96

-76.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$1.32 SAR 4.97

-80.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-1.28%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.31

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-23.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 SAR 19.74

$6.73 SAR 25.23

-21.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 SAR 17.88

$9.15 SAR 34.31

-47.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.66 SAR 47.47

$12.45 SAR 46.70

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.83

$2.46 SAR 9.22

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$2.12 SAR 7.97

-24.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.64 SAR 6.13

-17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-12.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.99

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-37.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.60 SAR 2.23

-3.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.77

$2.63 SAR 9.84

59.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.41

$1.42 SAR 5.32

39.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 SAR 9.49

$1.95 SAR 7.30

29.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$6.55 SAR 24.56

-58.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.89 SAR 3.32

16.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 SAR 148

$61.3 SAR 230

-35.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 SAR 11.77

$2.25 SAR 8.44

39.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.36 SAR 5.11

34.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 SAR 57.2

$6.78 SAR 25.44

124.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-9.23%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.1K

23.28%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.7K

$23.2K SAR 86.9K

-8.22%

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

$105 SAR 393

$122 SAR 457

-13.99%

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

$32.00 SAR 120

$35.22 SAR 132

-9.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$80.5 SAR 302

-14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.2 SAR 323

$109 SAR 408

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 SAR 133

$36.80 SAR 138

-3.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.15 SAR 49.32

$17.50 SAR 65.6

-24.86%

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

$409 SAR 1,533

$305 SAR 1,145

33.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,615 SAR 24.8K

$7,624 SAR 28.6K

-13.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 SAR 240

$64.0 SAR 240

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 SAR 220

$69.5 SAR 261

-15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 SAR 350

$97.9 SAR 367

-4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.3 SAR 316

$80.0 SAR 300

5.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 SAR 1,061

$432 SAR 1,621

-34.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,424

$393 SAR 1,472

-3.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$529 SAR 1,985

$1,035 SAR 3,881

-48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,370

$801 SAR 3,005

-21.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,036 SAR 7,634

$2,469 SAR 9,261

-17.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,187 SAR 4,450

$1,461 SAR 5,480

-18.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,921 SAR 7,202

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

3.84

17.19%

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

Last update for Rabigh: April 22, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Rabigh and $432 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21 in Rabigh vs $54 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $216 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 18% 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 $1,729 in Rabigh and $2,044 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: $283 in Rabigh versus $432 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 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $409 in Rabigh versus $305 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,153 in Rabigh versus $1,363 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 18% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.