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: $1,149 in Umluj versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,757 in Umluj versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,366 in Umluj versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Umluj costs roughly 18% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Umluj is 16% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.76 SAR 25.38

$6.53 SAR 24.53

3.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.01 SAR 139

$60.0 SAR 225

-38.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 SAR 29.55

$7.77 SAR 29.18

1.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-37.97%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-24.72%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.27

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.64 SAR 6.15

1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.85

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.01

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-13.41%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.21 SAR 27.07

$7.18 SAR 26.95

0.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 SAR 29.95

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.07

$11.61 SAR 43.59

10.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-19.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-24.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-15.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-28.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.75 SAR 10.34

$2.63 SAR 9.86

4.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.64 SAR 6.17

6.71%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.89 SAR 7.10

10.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.59 SAR 24.74

3.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.78 SAR 2.95

39.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.68 SAR 134

$67.3 SAR 253

-46.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-10.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-33.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 SAR 50.3

$6.81 SAR 25.57

96.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.63 SAR 2.38

3.17%

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

$44.9K SAR 168.7K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-31.47%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.6K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-3.20%

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

$101 SAR 379

$98.6 SAR 370

2.46%

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

$33.10 SAR 124

$32.61 SAR 122

1.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 SAR 247

$70.2 SAR 264

-6.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 SAR 316

$79.9 SAR 300

5.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.17 SAR 140

$36.21 SAR 136

2.65%

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-10.69%

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

$344 SAR 1,292

$600 SAR 2,253

-42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,722 SAR 25.2K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

-18.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 SAR 193

$63.5 SAR 238

-18.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 SAR 219

$81.4 SAR 306

-28.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 SAR 364

$97.5 SAR 366

-0.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 SAR 334

$92.5 SAR 347

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 SAR 2,179

$620 SAR 2,328

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 SAR 1,281

$499 SAR 1,872

-31.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,244

$1,184 SAR 4,445

-27.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 SAR 2,062

$847 SAR 3,180

-35.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,339 SAR 8,781

$2,411 SAR 9,054

-3.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,371 SAR 5,148

$1,423 SAR 5,342

-3.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,284 SAR 16.1K

$1,843 SAR 6,920

132.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

5.88

-6.97%

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

Last update for Umluj: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $580 in Umluj and $620 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: $37.00 in Umluj vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $216 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 22% 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: $580 in Umluj versus $620 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 89% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $344 in Umluj versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,149 in Umluj versus $1,402 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 22% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.