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: $971 in Yanbu versus $1,344 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,508 in Yanbu versus $2,120 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,046 in Yanbu versus $2,897 in Al Khobar.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 28% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 28% below, Al Khobar is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$6.75 SAR 25.34

1.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 SAR 146

$52.6 SAR 197

-25.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.55 SAR 24.58

$8.05 SAR 30.20

-18.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 SAR 7.72

$2.02 SAR 7.59

1.98%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.72 SAR 10.22

-42.65%

Cappuccino

$3.72 SAR 13.96

$4.32 SAR 16.23

-13.89%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.00 SAR 3.75

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.51 SAR 1.93

-54.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.69 SAR 6.34

3.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.42

$1.38 SAR 5.17

-34.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$2.33 SAR 8.75

-7.30%

Eggs

$2.64 SAR 9.89

$2.91 SAR 10.91

-9.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 SAR 22.42

$6.59 SAR 24.72

-9.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.26

$9.17 SAR 34.43

-14.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.96 SAR 44.89

$12.70 SAR 47.65

-5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$2.50 SAR 9.38

-14.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$2.11 SAR 7.90

-34.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-5.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-39.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.76 SAR 6.59

-39.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$0.62 SAR 2.33

-11.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$2.68 SAR 10.05

-49.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.42 SAR 5.34

-4.23%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.97 SAR 7.39

-13.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 SAR 24.19

$6.75 SAR 25.35

-4.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.92 SAR 3.45

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.85 SAR 123

$61.6 SAR 231

-46.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 SAR 12.11

$2.25 SAR 8.44

43.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$1.30 SAR 4.87

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.21 SAR 57.1

$6.59 SAR 24.74

130.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.30

$0.60 SAR 2.25

1.67%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

23.85%

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

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

-2.70%

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

$108 SAR 404

$123 SAR 461

-12.36%

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

$22.52 SAR 84.5

$34.93 SAR 131

-35.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$80.1 SAR 301

-13.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.9 SAR 364

$107 SAR 400

-9.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.83 SAR 134

$36.08 SAR 135

-0.69%

Cinema Ticket

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$17.66 SAR 66.3

-23.56%

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

$320 SAR 1,200

$307 SAR 1,151

4.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,847 SAR 14.4K

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

-49.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.06 SAR 86.6

$63.8 SAR 239

-63.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.68 SAR 81.4

$70.0 SAR 263

-69.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 252

$98.7 SAR 370

-31.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.02 SAR 180

$80.8 SAR 303

-40.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$312 SAR 1,170

$433 SAR 1,624

-27.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 SAR 889

$397 SAR 1,489

-40.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 SAR 2,264

$1,031 SAR 3,869

-41.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 SAR 1,503

$790 SAR 2,965

-49.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,519 SAR 13.2K

$1,866 SAR 7,005

88.52%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $312 in Yanbu and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 89% 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 $53.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 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 38% 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.

Yanbu pays 89% more on average, 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: $312 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 88% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $320 in Yanbu versus $307 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $971 in Yanbu versus $1,344 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 38% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.