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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 29% more expensive than Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riyadh 30% above, Al Khobar 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$6.75 SAR 25.34

21.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$52.6 SAR 197

0.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$8.05 SAR 30.20

0.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$2.02 SAR 7.59

-15.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-18.01%

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-5.32%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-29.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-7.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.33 SAR 8.75

0.86%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$6.59 SAR 24.72

31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$9.17 SAR 34.43

9.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$12.70 SAR 47.66

14.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.74 SAR 6.54

0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-12.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-6.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-9.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-11.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-14.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

$2.68 SAR 10.05

204.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.42 SAR 5.34

20.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.97 SAR 7.39

20.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$6.75 SAR 25.35

11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.92 SAR 3.45

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$61.6 SAR 231

-40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$2.25 SAR 8.44

45.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.30 SAR 4.87

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$6.59 SAR 24.75

104.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$0.60 SAR 2.25

5.00%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

61.25%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

3.33%

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

$104 SAR 391

$123 SAR 461

-15.10%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$34.93 SAR 131

-1.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$80.1 SAR 301

-3.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$107 SAR 400

-1.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$36.08 SAR 135

61.56%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-8.44%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$307 SAR 1,151

49.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$7,553 SAR 28.4K

28.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$63.8 SAR 239

-6.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$70.0 SAR 263

-8.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$98.7 SAR 370

8.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$80.8 SAR 303

23.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$433 SAR 1,624

147.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$397 SAR 1,489

112.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$1,031 SAR 3,869

96.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$790 SAR 2,966

38.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$2,419 SAR 9,078

27.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$1,457 SAR 5,469

32.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$1,866 SAR 7,005

20.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

3.84

38.28%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 21% 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: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $53.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $217, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Riyadh. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Riyadh pays 21% more on average, 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: $1,072 in Riyadh versus $433 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 68% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Riyadh versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,344 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Riyadh 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.