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: $1,345 in Tabuk versus $1,341 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,022 in Tabuk versus $2,136 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,699 in Tabuk versus $2,931 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

$8.67 SAR 32.51

$6.80 SAR 25.51

27.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 SAR 105

$52.4 SAR 196

-46.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.03 SAR 26.37

$7.81 SAR 29.27

-9.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-23.15%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-30.04%

Cappuccino

$2.94 SAR 11.03

$4.23 SAR 15.84

-30.50%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.80

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-26.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-42.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 SAR 7.07

$1.77 SAR 6.63

6.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 SAR 2.12

$1.34 SAR 5.02

-57.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.40 SAR 9.01

17.92%

Eggs

$2.57 SAR 9.64

$2.82 SAR 10.57

-8.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.39 SAR 46.46

$6.88 SAR 25.80

80.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$9.05 SAR 33.93

-26.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 SAR 47.79

$12.37 SAR 46.39

2.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-18.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$1.73 SAR 6.47

-7.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$2.21 SAR 8.29

-22.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$1.62 SAR 6.08

33.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.43 SAR 5.36

23.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 SAR 7.69

$1.72 SAR 6.46

19.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.71 SAR 6.40

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.17

$0.59 SAR 2.23

-1.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.92 SAR 10.94

$2.72 SAR 10.21

7.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.47 SAR 5.50

16.33%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 SAR 7.62

$1.87 SAR 7.02

8.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.42

$6.59 SAR 24.71

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.91 SAR 3.40

16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.56 SAR 152

$59.5 SAR 223

-31.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$2.21 SAR 8.29

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

$1.31 SAR 4.90

39.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 50.9

$6.69 SAR 25.08

102.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$0.63 SAR 2.38

4.76%

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

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

29.04%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.9K

$23.1K SAR 86.5K

-4.14%

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

$160 SAR 602

$123 SAR 461

30.57%

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

$36.74 SAR 138

$34.30 SAR 129

7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 384

$80.9 SAR 303

26.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.5 SAR 336

$109 SAR 409

-17.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.09 SAR 132

$36.07 SAR 135

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$25.61 SAR 96.0

$17.15 SAR 64.3

49.33%

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

$354 SAR 1,326

$306 SAR 1,147

15.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,468 SAR 31.8K

$7,552 SAR 28.3K

12.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 SAR 221

$62.9 SAR 236

-6.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.5 SAR 223

$68.8 SAR 258

-13.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 SAR 302

$99.1 SAR 372

-18.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.6 SAR 310

$79.1 SAR 297

4.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 SAR 1,292

$437 SAR 1,639

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,352

$394 SAR 1,479

-8.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 SAR 3,082

$1,054 SAR 3,952

-22.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 SAR 2,712

$788 SAR 2,955

-8.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,542 SAR 9,532

$2,411 SAR 9,040

5.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,146 SAR 4,297

$1,432 SAR 5,370

-19.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 SAR 6,527

$1,942 SAR 7,283

-10.38%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Tabuk and $437 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 12% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $28.00 in Tabuk vs $52.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $216 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

On paper, Al Khobar earns 12% 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: $345 in Tabuk versus $437 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $354 in Tabuk versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Khobar – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $28.00 in Tabuk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Al Khobar versus $1,345 in Tabuk, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Tabuk. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar 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.

It comes down to priorities – Al Khobar wins on affordability, Tabuk on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.