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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Umluj versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,463 in Umluj versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Umluj costs roughly 9% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Umluj is 9% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.75

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-3.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.44 SAR 167

$54.0 SAR 203

-17.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 SAR 29.33

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-4.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-11.11%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-34.44%

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.03

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-12.21%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-22.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.70

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-0.86%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-14.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.72 SAR 25.24

$6.94 SAR 26.05

-3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-19.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.97 SAR 48.71

$12.61 SAR 47.34

2.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-13.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-17.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.57 SAR 5.88

2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.69

$1.41 SAR 5.31

-11.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.81

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-25.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-6.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.76 SAR 10.38

$2.70 SAR 10.14

2.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.46 SAR 5.48

17.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

$1.88 SAR 7.04

10.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 SAR 25.81

$6.51 SAR 24.45

5.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.92 SAR 3.44

18.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 SAR 148

$60.1 SAR 226

-34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.26 SAR 8.48

15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$1.35 SAR 5.06

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.24 SAR 49.71

$6.60 SAR 24.78

100.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-1.54%

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

$26.6K SAR 100.1K

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

24.68%

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

$22.5K SAR 84.5K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-1.09%

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

$107 SAR 401

$124 SAR 466

-13.97%

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

$33.75 SAR 127

$34.51 SAR 130

-2.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$80.7 SAR 303

-11.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.3 SAR 328

$109 SAR 410

-20.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 SAR 133

$36.80 SAR 138

-3.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.76 SAR 59.2

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-9.22%

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

$355 SAR 1,332

$306 SAR 1,147

16.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,024 SAR 26.4K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-6.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$63.4 SAR 238

-7.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 SAR 226

$69.8 SAR 262

-13.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 SAR 302

$100 SAR 376

-19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$80.4 SAR 302

1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$436 SAR 1,638

$433 SAR 1,628

0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 SAR 1,414

$401 SAR 1,505

-6.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,156

$1,059 SAR 3,978

-20.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 SAR 2,332

$813 SAR 3,054

-23.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,132 SAR 8,006

$2,442 SAR 9,170

-12.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,715

$1,423 SAR 5,344

6.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,245 SAR 15.9K

$1,856 SAR 6,971

128.68%

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 Umluj: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $436 in Umluj and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Umluj pays 129% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Umluj vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $217 per month, with Umluj 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

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

Umluj wins on cost – living expenses run 9% 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 129% 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: $436 in Umluj 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 Umluj runs roughly 52% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $355 in Umluj versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,218 in Umluj versus $1,332 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.