Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Umluj and Al Khobar

For one person, living is cheaper in Umluj: $1,182 a month against $1,405 in Al Khobar, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Umluj
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Umluj Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Al Khobar
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Al Khobar Living Index

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Umluj

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,182

/mo nomad

Al Khobar

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,405

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Umluj and in Al Khobar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Umluj and in Al Khobar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,182 in Umluj versus $1,405 in Al Khobar.

Umluj $1,182
Al Khobar $1,405

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,758 in Umluj versus $2,186 in Al Khobar.

Umluj $1,758
Al Khobar $2,186

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,333 in Umluj versus $2,967 in Al Khobar.

Umluj $2,333
Al Khobar $2,967

Living in Umluj costs roughly 16% less than in Al Khobar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Umluj is 12% below, Al Khobar is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.97 SAR 22.41

$6.53 SAR 24.51

-8.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.58 SAR 141

$59.2 SAR 222

-36.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$7.86 SAR 29.50

4.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.15

$2.74 SAR 10.28

-30.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$2.68 SAR 10.05

-14.93%

Cappuccino

$3.26 SAR 12.23

$4.48 SAR 16.79

-27.23%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$0.87 SAR 3.25

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.38 SAR 1.42

-31.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.28 SAR 4.80

2.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.92

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-3.25%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.32 SAR 8.69

3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.60 SAR 28.54

$7.15 SAR 26.84

6.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 SAR 28.76

$10.24 SAR 38.43

-25.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.06 SAR 48.99

$11.69 SAR 43.86

11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.39

$2.62 SAR 9.83

-14.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-3.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.98 SAR 7.43

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.77 SAR 6.64

-7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.40

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-13.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.66 SAR 6.24

-20.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.17

$0.53 SAR 2.01

9.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.74

$2.63 SAR 9.88

8.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.59 SAR 5.98

9.43%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

$1.84 SAR 6.91

9.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.57 SAR 24.65

$6.66 SAR 25.00

-1.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.73 SAR 2.75

49.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.82 SAR 138

$67.2 SAR 252

-45.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$3.23 SAR 12.14

-18.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-31.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$6.48 SAR 24.31

109.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.63 SAR 2.37

3.17%

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

$44.5K SAR 167.0K

$66.3K SAR 248.6K

-32.84%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$22.5K SAR 84.6K

-4.37%

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

$102 SAR 383

$99.6 SAR 374

2.47%

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

$32.15 SAR 121

$33.32 SAR 125

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.5 SAR 250

$70.5 SAR 265

-5.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.2 SAR 305

$82.0 SAR 308

-1.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.23 SAR 140

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 SAR 49.37

$15.07 SAR 56.6

-12.67%

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

$428 SAR 1,608

$589 SAR 2,210

-27.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,089 SAR 30.4K

$8,524 SAR 32.0K

-5.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.94 SAR 157

$62.0 SAR 233

-32.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 SAR 204

$83.0 SAR 312

-34.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 SAR 368

$97.2 SAR 365

0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$93.9 SAR 352

-8.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 SAR 2,180

$630 SAR 2,363

-7.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,409

$499 SAR 1,873

-24.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 SAR 3,039

$1,187 SAR 4,454

-31.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 SAR 2,171

$860 SAR 3,226

-32.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 SAR 8,752

$2,404 SAR 9,020

-2.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 SAR 5,150

$1,444 SAR 5,417

-4.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,243 SAR 15.9K

$1,829 SAR 6,864

131.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

5.88

-5.78%

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

Last update for Umluj: October 11, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Umluj

$376 31.8%

Al Khobar

$499 35.5% 32.9% $124

Groceries & Markets

Umluj

$204 17.2%

Al Khobar

$217 15.5% 6.8% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Umluj

$201 17%

Al Khobar

$203 14.5% 1.3% $2.7

Clothing & Footwear

Umluj

$126 10.7%

Al Khobar

$151 10.8% 19.9% $25

Eating Out

Umluj

$116 9.8%

Al Khobar

$135 9.6% 16.1% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Umluj

$108 9.1%

Al Khobar

$112 8% 4.3% $4.7

Getting Around

Umluj

$53 4.5%

Al Khobar

$87 6.2% 63.9% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $581 in Umluj and $630 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Umluj vs $59.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $217 per month, with Umluj cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇦 Umluj

🇸🇦 Al Khobar

🕒 Local time

02:24 2:24 AM

Same time as Umluj

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,757

219,679

💱 Currency

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.237 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Umluj Al Khobar 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Umluj
Al Khobar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Umluj wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Umluj the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 132% higher in Umluj, 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: $581 in Umluj versus $630 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Umluj runs roughly 83% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Umluj versus $589 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,182 in Umluj versus $1,405 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Umluj but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Umluj 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, Umluj 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 Umluj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.