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: $1,244 in Tabuk versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tabuk versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,453 in Tabuk versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Tabuk costs roughly 13% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tabuk is 9% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 SAR 28.33

$6.83 SAR 25.65

10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.11 SAR 121

$60.2 SAR 226

-46.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 SAR 28.92

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-1.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-49.26%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-38.85%

Cappuccino

$3.13 SAR 11.76

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-29.98%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.72

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.63 SAR 6.10

21.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$2.53 SAR 9.51

7.11%

Eggs

$2.82 SAR 10.60

$2.36 SAR 8.88

19.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 SAR 46.83

$7.20 SAR 27.04

73.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.82 SAR 25.62

$10.00 SAR 37.56

-31.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 SAR 49.57

$11.85 SAR 44.48

11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.31

$2.76 SAR 10.35

-29.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.76 SAR 6.62

-5.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.40

$1.81 SAR 6.81

23.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.40 SAR 5.25

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$1.70 SAR 6.39

21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$1.72 SAR 6.47

11.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.59 SAR 2.20

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.61 SAR 9.81

4.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.59 SAR 5.97

6.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.93 SAR 7.23

8.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.29

$6.82 SAR 25.63

-1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.80 SAR 3.01

37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.75 SAR 134

$68.8 SAR 258

-48.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 SAR 11.20

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-11.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$2.65 SAR 9.94

-33.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.22

$6.69 SAR 25.13

95.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.49

$0.60 SAR 2.27

10.00%

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

$45.7K SAR 171.8K

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

-32.60%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.5K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-2.44%

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

$101 SAR 379

$98.7 SAR 370

2.24%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$32.44 SAR 122

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.6 SAR 288

$68.3 SAR 257

12.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 319

$82.1 SAR 308

3.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.50 SAR 141

$36.49 SAR 137

2.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 SAR 49.78

$15.05 SAR 56.5

-11.89%

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

$351 SAR 1,316

$611 SAR 2,293

-42.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,364 SAR 31.4K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-0.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 SAR 190

$63.4 SAR 238

-20.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 214

$81.7 SAR 307

-30.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$97.2 SAR 365

-1.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.0 SAR 327

$94.5 SAR 355

-7.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 SAR 1,267

$642 SAR 2,412

-47.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 SAR 1,392

$512 SAR 1,921

-27.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,368

$1,183 SAR 4,441

-46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 SAR 2,289

$852 SAR 3,200

-28.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,335 SAR 8,768

$2,432 SAR 9,133

-3.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,399 SAR 5,254

$1,467 SAR 5,511

-4.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,697 SAR 6,372

$1,830 SAR 6,871

-7.26%

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 Tabuk: September 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Tabuk and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 8% 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: $32.00 in Tabuk vs $60.0 in Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $224 vs $219, with Al Khobar cheaper for home cooking.

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 15% 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, salaries run 8% 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: $337 in Tabuk 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 Tabuk runs roughly 92% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $351 in Tabuk versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,244 in Tabuk versus $1,434 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 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.