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: $922 in Taif versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,467 in Taif versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Taif versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Taif costs roughly 31% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 31% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 SAR 19.69

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-22.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.17 SAR 151

$52.6 SAR 197

-23.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-16.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$2.02 SAR 7.59

1.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-41.91%

Cappuccino

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-32.41%

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

$0.72 SAR 2.70

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-28.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-49.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-18.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-81.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.33 SAR 8.75

1.29%

Eggs

$2.56 SAR 9.61

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-12.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 SAR 27.70

$6.59 SAR 24.72

11.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.49

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-34.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 SAR 40.25

$12.70 SAR 47.65

-15.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.55

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-4.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

$1.64 SAR 6.17

17.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.43 SAR 5.38

2.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-6.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 SAR 3.19

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-51.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 SAR 3.65

$0.62 SAR 2.33

56.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.68 SAR 10.05

7.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.20

$1.42 SAR 5.34

35.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-17.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.55 SAR 24.56

$6.75 SAR 25.35

-2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$0.92 SAR 3.45

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.19 SAR 151

$61.6 SAR 231

-34.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 SAR 10.21

$2.25 SAR 8.44

20.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.30 SAR 4.87

56.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.18 SAR 49.45

$6.59 SAR 24.74

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$0.60 SAR 2.25

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

$19.7K SAR 74.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

-6.79%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.0K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-11.82%

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

$73.2 SAR 275

$123 SAR 461

-40.34%

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

$28.41 SAR 107

$34.93 SAR 131

-18.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 SAR 332

$80.1 SAR 301

10.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 SAR 285

$107 SAR 400

-28.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.04 SAR 139

$36.08 SAR 135

2.66%

Cinema Ticket

$17.58 SAR 66.0

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-0.45%

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

$264 SAR 991

$307 SAR 1,151

-13.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,548 SAR 20.8K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-26.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.85 SAR 146

$63.8 SAR 239

-39.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 SAR 158

$70.0 SAR 263

-39.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 SAR 300

$98.7 SAR 370

-19.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.88 SAR 176

$80.8 SAR 303

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 SAR 804

$433 SAR 1,624

-50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 SAR 649

$397 SAR 1,489

-56.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,626

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-57.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 SAR 1,309

$790 SAR 2,965

-55.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,130 SAR 7,993

$2,419 SAR 9,077

-11.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 SAR 4,685

$1,457 SAR 5,468

-14.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,031 SAR 7,622

$1,866 SAR 7,005

8.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

3.84

19.79%

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

Last update for Taif: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Taif and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Taif vs $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $217 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 46% 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.

Taif pays 9% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Taif versus $433 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 53% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Taif versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $922 in Taif versus $1,344 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 46% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.