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: $1,192 in Sakakah versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,646 in Sakakah versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,100 in Sakakah versus $2,931 in Al Khobar.

Living in Sakakah costs roughly 11% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sakakah is 11% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.98 SAR 22.41

$6.80 SAR 25.51

-12.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.23 SAR 170

$52.4 SAR 196

-13.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.92

$7.81 SAR 29.27

2.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.03 SAR 7.63

1.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-42.49%

Cappuccino

$3.62 SAR 13.57

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-14.42%

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

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-36.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 SAR 1.28

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-30.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.77 SAR 6.63

-4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.58

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-28.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.58

$2.40 SAR 9.01

-4.58%

Eggs

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-11.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$6.88 SAR 25.80

-0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 SAR 28.18

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-17.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 SAR 48.76

$12.37 SAR 46.39

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-10.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 5.98

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-7.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.43 SAR 5.36

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-30.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.03

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-8.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

$2.72 SAR 10.21

-2.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

$1.47 SAR 5.50

21.09%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$1.87 SAR 7.02

8.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.21 SAR 27.03

$6.59 SAR 24.71

9.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.91 SAR 3.40

16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.48 SAR 152

$59.5 SAR 223

-31.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.84

$2.21 SAR 8.29

18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$1.31 SAR 4.90

41.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.21 SAR 49.52

$6.69 SAR 25.08

97.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-7.94%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

25.44%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-2.45%

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

$107 SAR 401

$123 SAR 461

-12.92%

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

$33.51 SAR 126

$34.30 SAR 129

-2.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 SAR 268

$80.9 SAR 303

-11.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.1 SAR 222

$109 SAR 409

-45.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.11 SAR 135

$36.07 SAR 135

0.11%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.3

$17.15 SAR 64.3

-9.27%

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

$352 SAR 1,320

$306 SAR 1,147

15.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,865 SAR 25.7K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

-9.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$62.9 SAR 236

-5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.3 SAR 230

$68.8 SAR 258

-10.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 SAR 293

$99.1 SAR 372

-21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 SAR 308

$79.1 SAR 297

3.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 SAR 835

$437 SAR 1,639

-49.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,437

$394 SAR 1,479

-2.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 SAR 1,278

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-67.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 SAR 1,126

$788 SAR 2,955

-61.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,346 SAR 8,796

$2,411 SAR 9,040

-2.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,535 SAR 5,755

$1,432 SAR 5,370

7.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 SAR 3,480

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-52.21%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Sakakah and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 109% 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 $52.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 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 13% 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, Al Khobar earns 109% less. 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: $223 in Sakakah versus $437 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 47% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $352 in Sakakah versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,192 in Sakakah versus $1,341 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 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.