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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,339 in Tabuk versus $1,346 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,045 in Tabuk versus $2,152 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,751 in Tabuk versus $2,958 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs are close between Tabuk and Al Khobar; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 SAR 31.71

$6.67 SAR 25.03

26.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.15 SAR 106

$52.7 SAR 198

-46.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 SAR 26.22

$8.04 SAR 30.18

-13.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-21.08%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-31.60%

Cappuccino

$3.00 SAR 11.27

$4.34 SAR 16.30

-30.88%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$0.94 SAR 3.53

-20.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.70 SAR 6.38

12.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 SAR 1.94

$1.40 SAR 5.25

-62.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SAR 10.47

$2.30 SAR 8.64

21.30%

Eggs

$2.61 SAR 9.78

$2.92 SAR 10.96

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.21 SAR 45.81

$6.70 SAR 25.15

82.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 SAR 25.19

$9.28 SAR 34.81

-27.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.83 SAR 48.16

$12.58 SAR 47.21

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 SAR 7.54

$2.49 SAR 9.33

-19.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$2.23 SAR 8.38

-22.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.63 SAR 6.10

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.42 SAR 5.33

20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 SAR 7.88

$1.72 SAR 6.45

22.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 SAR 7.22

$1.71 SAR 6.41

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.63 SAR 2.35

-4.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$2.61 SAR 9.79

3.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.46 SAR 5.50

21.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.96 SAR 7.35

2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.28

$6.81 SAR 25.55

10.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.97 SAR 3.63

7.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.88 SAR 150

$61.2 SAR 230

-34.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.19 SAR 8.21

24.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

$1.30 SAR 4.87

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.52 SAR 50.7

$6.56 SAR 24.62

106.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$0.61 SAR 2.29

4.92%

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

$26.9K SAR 100.9K

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

24.79%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

-2.82%

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

$157 SAR 588

$125 SAR 468

25.72%

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

$36.59 SAR 137

$34.88 SAR 131

4.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 SAR 396

$81.1 SAR 304

30.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.4 SAR 324

$109 SAR 410

-20.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.73 SAR 134

$36.43 SAR 137

-1.92%

Cinema Ticket

$25.29 SAR 94.9

$17.66 SAR 66.3

43.20%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$304 SAR 1,140

16.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,533 SAR 32.0K

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

11.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 SAR 225

$64.5 SAR 242

-7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 SAR 223

$69.2 SAR 260

-14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 SAR 299

$99.5 SAR 373

-20.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$78.1 SAR 293

5.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,286

$439 SAR 1,648

-21.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 SAR 1,349

$405 SAR 1,521

-11.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$1,020 SAR 3,829

-21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 SAR 2,782

$811 SAR 3,043

-8.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,204 SAR 8,269

$2,399 SAR 9,003

-8.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,339 SAR 5,025

$1,466 SAR 5,502

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 SAR 6,538

$1,861 SAR 6,983

-6.37%

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 Tabuk: June 6, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $343 in Tabuk and $439 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 7% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tabuk vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $218 per month, with Tabuk 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

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

Tabuk wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tabuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Al Khobar earns 7% 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: $343 in Tabuk versus $439 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk 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 $355 in Tabuk versus $304 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,339 in Tabuk versus $1,346 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tabuk but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Tabuk 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, Tabuk 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 Tabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.