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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,026 in Yanbu versus $1,402 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,604 in Yanbu versus $2,205 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,183 in Yanbu versus $3,008 in Al Khobar.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 27% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 25% below, Al Khobar is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$6.53 SAR 24.53

1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.57 SAR 137

$60.0 SAR 225

-39.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.52 SAR 24.47

$7.77 SAR 29.18

-16.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.66 SAR 10.00

-38.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-42.22%

Cappuccino

$3.59 SAR 13.48

$4.49 SAR 16.88

-20.04%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$0.91 SAR 3.41

-12.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.72

$0.41 SAR 1.53

-53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

$1.64 SAR 6.15

7.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$1.26 SAR 4.73

-30.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.06

$2.46 SAR 9.24

-12.60%

Eggs

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.39 SAR 8.97

0.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 SAR 23.66

$7.18 SAR 26.95

-12.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.98 SAR 29.95

$9.91 SAR 37.21

-19.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 SAR 49.25

$11.61 SAR 43.59

13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 SAR 7.48

$2.67 SAR 10.01

-25.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$2.05 SAR 7.70

-29.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.83 SAR 6.86

-12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.39 SAR 5.23

-19.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SAR 3.88

$1.65 SAR 6.18

-37.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 SAR 3.89

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-36.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$0.57 SAR 2.15

-7.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$2.63 SAR 9.86

-49.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 SAR 5.02

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-18.29%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.89 SAR 7.10

10.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 24.99

$6.59 SAR 24.74

1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.89

$0.78 SAR 2.95

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.31 SAR 98.8

$67.3 SAR 253

-60.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 SAR 11.61

$3.25 SAR 12.21

-4.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SAR 2.85

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-71.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.52 SAR 50.8

$6.81 SAR 25.57

98.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.63 SAR 2.38

-4.76%

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

$45.6K SAR 171.2K

$65.6K SAR 246.2K

-30.45%

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

$21.7K SAR 81.3K

$21.9K SAR 82.2K

-1.10%

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

$101 SAR 379

$98.6 SAR 370

2.26%

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

$22.10 SAR 83.0

$32.61 SAR 122

-32.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.4 SAR 246

$70.2 SAR 264

-6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.9 SAR 368

$79.9 SAR 300

22.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.12 SAR 98.1

$36.21 SAR 136

-27.87%

Cinema Ticket

$11.69 SAR 43.90

$15.15 SAR 56.9

-22.84%

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

$262 SAR 984

$600 SAR 2,253

-56.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,787 SAR 14.2K

$8,271 SAR 31.1K

-54.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 SAR 250

$63.5 SAR 238

4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 SAR 226

$81.4 SAR 306

-26.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 SAR 358

$97.5 SAR 366

-2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 SAR 370

$92.5 SAR 347

6.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 SAR 1,163

$620 SAR 2,328

-50.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 SAR 788

$499 SAR 1,872

-57.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$583 SAR 2,187

$1,184 SAR 4,445

-50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 SAR 1,564

$847 SAR 3,180

-50.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,411 SAR 9,054

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,342

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,419 SAR 12.8K

$1,843 SAR 6,920

85.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.88

-8.33%

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

Last update for Yanbu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Yanbu and $620 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 86% 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 Yanbu vs $60.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $216 per month, with Yanbu 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

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

Yanbu wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yanbu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 86% higher in Yanbu, 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: $310 in Yanbu 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 Yanbu runs roughly 156% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $262 in Yanbu versus $600 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,026 in Yanbu versus $1,402 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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, Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.