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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,159 in Sakakah versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,646 in Sakakah versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,134 in Sakakah versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

Living in Sakakah costs roughly 12% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sakakah 13% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.82 SAR 21.87

$6.47 SAR 24.31

-10.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.09 SAR 169

$53.2 SAR 200

-15.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.64

$7.78 SAR 29.21

1.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.02 SAR 7.60

6.93%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-38.64%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-16.21%

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

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-36.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 SAR 1.18

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-37.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.75 SAR 6.57

-5.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.48

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-33.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-0.83%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-15.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 SAR 26.35

$6.64 SAR 24.92

5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 SAR 28.42

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-15.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.06

$12.73 SAR 47.82

0.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.24

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-9.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-20.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.57 SAR 5.90

4.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.42 SAR 5.33

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-19.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-30.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-6.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.95

$2.61 SAR 9.82

21.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.42 SAR 5.34

18.31%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.98 SAR 7.43

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 SAR 26.61

$6.62 SAR 24.86

7.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.96 SAR 3.60

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.00 SAR 150

$61.6 SAR 231

-35.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$2.23 SAR 8.38

16.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.23

$1.31 SAR 4.93

46.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.22 SAR 49.64

$6.79 SAR 25.48

94.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-6.15%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.2K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

26.84%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-2.36%

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

$104 SAR 391

$122 SAR 458

-14.58%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$34.21 SAR 128

-0.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.1 SAR 275

$81.4 SAR 306

-10.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.7 SAR 224

$106 SAR 400

-43.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.17 SAR 132

$36.66 SAR 138

-4.06%

Cinema Ticket

$15.58 SAR 58.5

$17.12 SAR 64.3

-9.00%

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

$359 SAR 1,347

$301 SAR 1,129

19.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,946 SAR 26.1K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

-8.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 222

$63.6 SAR 239

-7.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.7 SAR 224

$69.1 SAR 259

-13.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SAR 303

$100.0 SAR 375

-19.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.6 SAR 307

$78.0 SAR 293

4.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 850

$430 SAR 1,615

-47.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,416

$394 SAR 1,479

-4.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 SAR 1,293

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 SAR 1,156

$800 SAR 3,004

-61.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,298 SAR 8,629

$2,385 SAR 8,955

-3.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 SAR 4,859

$1,459 SAR 5,479

-11.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 SAR 3,464

$1,822 SAR 6,843

-49.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Sakakah: July 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Sakakah and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 98% 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: $45.00 in Sakakah vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $216 per month, with Sakakah 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

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

Sakakah wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sakakah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Al Khobar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $226 in Sakakah versus $430 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $359 in Sakakah versus $301 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,159 in Sakakah versus $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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, Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.