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: $988 in Yanbu versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,505 in Yanbu versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,021 in Yanbu versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 26% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 26% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$6.82 SAR 25.60

-1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.81 SAR 146

$54.0 SAR 203

-28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.22

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-17.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.70

$1.98 SAR 7.44

3.54%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-41.85%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-13.85%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.84

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-48.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

$1.69 SAR 6.34

1.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 SAR 3.23

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-38.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-3.02%

Eggs

$2.77 SAR 10.39

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-3.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 SAR 22.20

$6.94 SAR 26.05

-14.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 SAR 28.83

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-15.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 SAR 45.00

$12.61 SAR 47.34

-5.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-4.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.76

$1.57 SAR 5.88

-2.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$1.41 SAR 5.30

-10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 SAR 3.82

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-40.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-37.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.60 SAR 2.24

-15.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-49.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-10.27%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.88 SAR 7.04

-10.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 SAR 24.08

$6.51 SAR 24.45

-1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$0.92 SAR 3.44

19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.07 SAR 124

$60.1 SAR 225

-44.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 SAR 11.75

$2.26 SAR 8.48

38.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-38.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.49 SAR 58.2

$6.60 SAR 24.78

134.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 SAR 2.16

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-12.31%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

24.37%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

-3.85%

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

$105 SAR 395

$124 SAR 466

-15.28%

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

$22.13 SAR 83.1

$34.51 SAR 130

-35.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 SAR 256

$80.7 SAR 303

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.1 SAR 365

$109 SAR 410

-11.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.72 SAR 134

$36.80 SAR 138

-2.93%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 SAR 49.66

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-23.85%

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

$314 SAR 1,178

$306 SAR 1,147

2.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,742 SAR 14.1K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-50.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.03 SAR 86.5

$63.4 SAR 238

-63.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.18 SAR 79.5

$69.8 SAR 262

-69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 SAR 249

$100 SAR 376

-33.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.84 SAR 180

$80.4 SAR 302

-40.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 SAR 1,164

$433 SAR 1,627

-28.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 SAR 913

$401 SAR 1,505

-39.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 SAR 2,253

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-43.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,513

$813 SAR 3,054

-50.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,433 SAR 12.9K

$1,856 SAR 6,971

84.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

3.84

-14.06%

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

Last update for Yanbu: July 12, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Yanbu and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 85% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Yanbu vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $217 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 35% 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 85% 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 $433 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 82% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $314 in Yanbu versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $988 in Yanbu versus $1,332 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 35% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.