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: $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,667 in Rabigh versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,186 in Rabigh versus $2,958 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 15% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 SAR 14.63

$6.67 SAR 25.03

-41.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.09 SAR 79.1

$52.7 SAR 198

-59.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.15 SAR 26.82

$8.04 SAR 30.18

-11.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-35.78%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-71.75%

Cappuccino

$2.42 SAR 9.06

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-44.24%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.11 SAR 0.42

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-78.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.77

$2.30 SAR 8.64

1.74%

Eggs

$2.22 SAR 8.32

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-23.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.48 SAR 20.56

$6.70 SAR 25.15

-18.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 SAR 18.55

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-46.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.57 SAR 47.16

$12.58 SAR 47.21

-0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.17

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-29.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-20.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-6.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-27.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-11.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

$2.61 SAR 9.79

58.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

$1.46 SAR 5.50

28.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

$1.96 SAR 7.35

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$6.81 SAR 25.55

-60.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.97 SAR 3.63

8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.05 SAR 150

$61.2 SAR 230

-34.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.36

$2.19 SAR 8.21

50.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.30 SAR 4.87

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$6.56 SAR 24.62

128.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-3.28%

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

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

25.67%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-5.75%

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

$107 SAR 402

$125 SAR 468

-14.13%

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

$32.50 SAR 122

$34.88 SAR 131

-6.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$81.1 SAR 304

-14.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.0 SAR 326

$109 SAR 410

-20.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.38 SAR 133

$36.43 SAR 137

-2.88%

Cinema Ticket

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-23.33%

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

$401 SAR 1,504

$304 SAR 1,140

31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

-16.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$64.5 SAR 242

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$69.2 SAR 260

-15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 SAR 351

$99.5 SAR 373

-6.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.9 SAR 311

$78.1 SAR 293

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,059

$439 SAR 1,648

-35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$405 SAR 1,521

-5.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,962

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-48.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 SAR 2,326

$811 SAR 3,043

-23.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,005 SAR 7,525

$2,399 SAR 9,003

-16.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 SAR 5,231

$1,466 SAR 5,502

-4.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Rabigh and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Rabigh vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 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 17% 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 $1,722 in Rabigh and $2,019 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: $282 in Rabigh versus $439 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 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $401 in Rabigh versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.