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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,150 in Taif versus $1,434 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,631 in Taif versus $2,206 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,113 in Taif versus $2,978 in Al Khobar.

Living in Taif costs roughly 20% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 16% below, Al Khobar is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.39

$6.83 SAR 25.65

-32.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.25 SAR 140

$60.2 SAR 226

-38.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 SAR 25.79

$7.83 SAR 29.42

-12.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-31.85%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-37.31%

Cappuccino

$2.96 SAR 11.13

$4.47 SAR 16.77

-33.78%

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

$0.69 SAR 2.57

$0.99 SAR 3.74

-30.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 SAR 0.79

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-48.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

$1.63 SAR 6.10

-11.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.26 SAR 4.72

-77.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.53 SAR 9.51

-5.53%

Eggs

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.36 SAR 8.88

7.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 SAR 27.38

$7.20 SAR 27.04

1.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 SAR 23.55

$10.00 SAR 37.56

-37.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.58 SAR 39.73

$11.85 SAR 44.48

-10.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 SAR 8.30

$2.76 SAR 10.35

-19.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

$1.76 SAR 6.62

2.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

$2.04 SAR 7.67

-12.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$1.81 SAR 6.81

1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

$1.40 SAR 5.25

8.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.70 SAR 6.39

1.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 SAR 3.14

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-51.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$0.59 SAR 2.20

62.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.38

$2.61 SAR 9.81

5.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$1.59 SAR 5.97

11.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.93 SAR 7.23

-22.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.85 SAR 25.72

$6.82 SAR 25.63

0.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.80 SAR 3.01

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.56 SAR 134

$68.8 SAR 258

-48.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$3.35 SAR 12.58

-60.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$2.65 SAR 9.94

1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$6.69 SAR 25.13

100.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.60 SAR 2.27

1.67%

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

$44.9K SAR 168.6K

$67.9K SAR 254.8K

-33.84%

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

$19.0K SAR 71.3K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-14.60%

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

$110 SAR 412

$98.7 SAR 370

11.08%

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

$27.79 SAR 104

$32.44 SAR 122

-14.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.5 SAR 321

$68.3 SAR 257

25.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 459

$82.1 SAR 308

48.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 SAR 114

$36.49 SAR 137

-17.16%

Cinema Ticket

$17.24 SAR 64.8

$15.05 SAR 56.5

14.55%

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

$244 SAR 918

$611 SAR 2,293

-59.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,487 SAR 16.9K

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

-46.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.26 SAR 76.1

$63.4 SAR 238

-68.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 SAR 213

$81.7 SAR 307

-30.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.7 SAR 355

$97.2 SAR 365

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.33 SAR 174

$94.5 SAR 355

-50.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,250 SAR 4,693

$642 SAR 2,412

94.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 SAR 1,279

$512 SAR 1,921

-33.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 SAR 3,264

$1,183 SAR 4,441

-26.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 SAR 1,262

$852 SAR 3,200

-60.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,386 SAR 8,959

$2,432 SAR 9,133

-1.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,366 SAR 5,131

$1,467 SAR 5,511

-6.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,790 SAR 6,723

$1,830 SAR 6,871

-2.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

5.88

-38.78%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Taif: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,250 in Taif and $642 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 2% 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: $37.00 in Taif vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $219 per month, with Taif 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

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

Taif wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taif the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2% 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: $1,250 in Taif 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 Taif runs roughly 93% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $244 in Taif versus $611 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,150 in Taif versus $1,434 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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, Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.