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: $1,137 in Sakakah versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,769 in Sakakah versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,400 in Sakakah versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Sakakah costs roughly 21% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sakakah is 17% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.76 SAR 21.64

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.38 SAR 140

$60.2 SAR 226

-37.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 SAR 30.50

$7.83 SAR 29.42

3.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$2.70 SAR 10.16

-20.37%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-39.62%

Cappuccino

$3.53 SAR 13.25

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-21.03%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-29.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-24.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.63 SAR 6.10

5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 SAR 4.16

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.32

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-12.65%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$2.36 SAR 8.88

-0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 SAR 28.47

$7.20 SAR 27.04

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.88 SAR 29.59

$10.00 SAR 37.57

-21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.71 SAR 47.75

$11.85 SAR 44.49

7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.23

$2.76 SAR 10.36

-20.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-3.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-21.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.81 SAR 6.81

-7.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 SAR 4.23

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-19.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.70 SAR 6.39

-22.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.30

$1.72 SAR 6.48

-33.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-5.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.39

$2.61 SAR 9.81

6.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.59 SAR 5.97

5.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$1.93 SAR 7.23

13.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 SAR 24.54

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-4.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.80 SAR 3.02

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.35 SAR 133

$68.8 SAR 258

-48.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SAR 11.10

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-11.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-32.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.28

$6.69 SAR 25.13

96.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.34

$0.60 SAR 2.27

3.33%

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

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

-33.09%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-4.59%

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

$102 SAR 383

$98.7 SAR 371

3.49%

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

$32.65 SAR 123

$32.44 SAR 122

0.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$68.3 SAR 257

-2.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.6 SAR 314

$82.1 SAR 308

1.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.48 SAR 137

$36.49 SAR 137

-0.03%

Cinema Ticket

$13.47 SAR 50.6

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-10.50%

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

$343 SAR 1,286

$611 SAR 2,294

-43.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,627 SAR 24.9K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-21.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 SAR 190

$63.4 SAR 238

-20.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 SAR 219

$81.7 SAR 307

-28.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.8 SAR 364

$97.2 SAR 365

-0.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 SAR 339

$94.5 SAR 355

-4.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 SAR 2,201

$642 SAR 2,412

-8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 SAR 1,276

$512 SAR 1,921

-33.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,257

$1,183 SAR 4,442

-26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 SAR 2,034

$852 SAR 3,201

-36.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,314 SAR 8,693

$2,432 SAR 9,134

-4.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 SAR 5,249

$1,467 SAR 5,512

-4.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$934 SAR 3,508

$1,830 SAR 6,872

-48.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Sakakah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $586 in Sakakah and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 96% 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: $37.00 in Sakakah vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $219 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 26% 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 96% 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: $586 in Sakakah versus $642 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 95% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $343 in Sakakah versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,137 in Sakakah versus $1,434 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 26% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.