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: $1,318 in Tabuk versus $1,323 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,034 in Tabuk versus $2,104 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Tabuk versus $2,885 in Al Khobar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Tabuk 1% lower, Al Khobar 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 SAR 32.57

$6.47 SAR 24.31

34.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.15 SAR 106

$53.2 SAR 200

-47.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.27 SAR 27.32

$7.78 SAR 29.21

-6.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$2.02 SAR 7.60

-20.30%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.96

$2.64 SAR 9.92

-29.92%

Cappuccino

$2.98 SAR 11.20

$4.38 SAR 16.45

-31.96%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.02 SAR 3.84

-31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.51 SAR 1.92

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 SAR 7.13

$1.75 SAR 6.57

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 SAR 1.98

$1.39 SAR 5.22

-61.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 SAR 10.23

$2.40 SAR 9.01

13.33%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$2.83 SAR 10.62

-7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 SAR 45.90

$6.64 SAR 24.92

84.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.59

$8.95 SAR 33.60

-26.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.19 SAR 49.52

$12.73 SAR 47.82

3.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.95 SAR 7.32

$2.54 SAR 9.52

-23.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$2.15 SAR 8.09

-18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.57 SAR 5.90

43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.42 SAR 5.33

19.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.46

$1.66 SAR 6.24

19.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$1.71 SAR 6.43

16.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$0.58 SAR 2.19

-1.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.40

$2.61 SAR 9.82

6.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.42 SAR 5.34

20.42%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.98 SAR 7.43

5.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.20

$6.62 SAR 24.86

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.96 SAR 3.60

14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.35 SAR 152

$61.6 SAR 231

-34.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.73

$2.23 SAR 8.38

16.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.31 SAR 4.93

39.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.47

$6.79 SAR 25.48

93.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 SAR 2.48

$0.65 SAR 2.43

1.54%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

22.96%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

-1.95%

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

$157 SAR 589

$122 SAR 458

28.74%

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

$36.52 SAR 137

$34.21 SAR 128

6.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 SAR 399

$81.4 SAR 306

30.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$106 SAR 400

-16.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.57 SAR 134

$36.66 SAR 138

-2.97%

Cinema Ticket

$24.86 SAR 93.4

$17.12 SAR 64.3

45.21%

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

$350 SAR 1,314

$301 SAR 1,129

16.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,426 SAR 31.6K

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

10.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$63.6 SAR 239

-6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 SAR 229

$69.1 SAR 259

-11.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 SAR 301

$100.0 SAR 375

-19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 SAR 312

$78.0 SAR 293

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 SAR 1,280

$430 SAR 1,615

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 SAR 1,359

$394 SAR 1,479

-8.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 SAR 3,047

$1,049 SAR 3,938

-22.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$731 SAR 2,744

$800 SAR 3,004

-8.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 SAR 10.1K

$2,385 SAR 8,955

12.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 SAR 5,248

$1,459 SAR 5,479

-4.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,726 SAR 6,482

$1,822 SAR 6,843

-5.28%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $341 in Tabuk and $430 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 6% 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 $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, salaries run 6% 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: $341 in Tabuk versus $430 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $350 in Tabuk versus $301 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 Tabuk – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $53.0 in Al Khobar. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,318 in Tabuk versus $1,323 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.

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