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: $1,734 in Riyadh versus $1,415 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Riyadh versus $2,187 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,429 in Riyadh versus $2,960 in Al Khobar.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 23% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riyadh 26% above, Al Khobar 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 SAR 29.24

$6.69 SAR 25.13

16.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.8 SAR 243

$59.3 SAR 223

9.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.87 SAR 33.31

$7.92 SAR 29.73

11.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$2.59 SAR 9.74

-23.17%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 SAR 11.14

$2.70 SAR 10.15

10.00%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SAR 15.87

$4.32 SAR 16.21

-2.08%

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

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$1.00 SAR 3.74

-15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.22

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.62 SAR 6.08

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 SAR 4.70

$1.26 SAR 4.75

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.21

$2.43 SAR 9.13

0.82%

Eggs

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$2.40 SAR 9.02

32.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 SAR 36.38

$7.11 SAR 26.72

36.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SAR 37.36

$10.25 SAR 38.48

-2.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 SAR 57.0

$11.75 SAR 44.13

29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.78 SAR 10.44

-5.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$1.72 SAR 6.45

13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.87

$1.97 SAR 7.42

19.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.51

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-5.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.50

$1.35 SAR 5.05

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-12.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.68 SAR 6.30

1.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$0.55 SAR 2.05

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$2.60 SAR 9.75

198.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.59 SAR 5.96

16.35%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SAR 9.29

$1.81 SAR 6.79

36.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$6.54 SAR 24.56

14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.74 SAR 2.79

47.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.56 SAR 141

$66.6 SAR 250

-43.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.33

$3.40 SAR 12.78

-3.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.09

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-27.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.13 SAR 49.32

$6.75 SAR 25.36

94.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$0.60 SAR 2.25

-1.67%

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

$35.9K SAR 134.7K

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

-46.63%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

0.51%

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

$97.0 SAR 364

$100 SAR 376

-3.25%

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

$32.37 SAR 122

$32.10 SAR 121

0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 SAR 258

$68.3 SAR 256

0.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.7 SAR 337

$81.6 SAR 306

9.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.9 SAR 206

$36.00 SAR 135

52.61%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.89

$15.59 SAR 58.6

-14.75%

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

$533 SAR 2,000

$590 SAR 2,216

-9.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K SAR 42.6K

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

32.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 SAR 221

$62.4 SAR 234

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 SAR 211

$83.5 SAR 313

-32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$95.7 SAR 359

10.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 SAR 392

$91.4 SAR 343

14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 SAR 4,408

$645 SAR 2,423

81.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 SAR 3,117

$496 SAR 1,864

67.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 SAR 8,280

$1,188 SAR 4,463

85.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 SAR 4,595

$876 SAR 3,289

39.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,935 SAR 11.0K

$2,382 SAR 8,944

23.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,962 SAR 7,367

$1,464 SAR 5,498

34.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,052 SAR 7,705

$1,812 SAR 6,806

13.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.88

-5.78%

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

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,174 in Riyadh and $645 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 13% 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: $65.0 in Riyadh vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $218 per month, with Al Khobar 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

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

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 23% 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.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Riyadh, 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: $1,174 in Riyadh 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 Al Khobar runs roughly 77% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $533 in Riyadh versus $590 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,734 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 $1,415 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 23% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.