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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,185 in Buraydah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $1,980 in Buraydah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $2,775 in Buraydah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 13% more expensive than Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Buraydah is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$12.73 SAR 47.78

-46.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$39.83 SAR 150

31.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$7.43 SAR 27.87

8.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

$1.62 SAR 6.10

24.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$1.49 SAR 5.58

82.55%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.69 SAR 13.86

17.07%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$0.74 SAR 2.76

35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.66 SAR 6.24

1.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.09 SAR 4.10

26.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$2.58 SAR 9.68

-9.69%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.53 SAR 9.51

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$8.23 SAR 30.90

-19.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$6.66 SAR 25.00

37.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$13.67 SAR 51.3

-7.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.46 SAR 9.22

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-6.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$1.45 SAR 5.43

45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$1.42 SAR 5.34

0.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.50 SAR 5.62

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.12 SAR 4.20

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$0.65 SAR 2.44

-4.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

$1.92 SAR 7.22

39.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-2.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

$2.59 SAR 9.71

-23.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$6.25 SAR 23.46

8.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.04 SAR 3.90

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.65 SAR 149

55.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$2.69 SAR 10.09

-16.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.85 SAR 6.94

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$16.87 SAR 63.3

-60.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.59 SAR 2.23

1.69%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$26.8K SAR 100.5K

-21.02%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

-6.30%

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

$123 SAR 461

$75.8 SAR 284

61.95%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$29.84 SAR 112

17.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$69.7 SAR 262

14.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$102 SAR 383

4.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$34.97 SAR 131

3.17%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$16.24 SAR 60.9

8.74%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$262 SAR 984

16.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$3,720 SAR 14.0K

103.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$51.6 SAR 194

23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$74.5 SAR 279

-5.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$81.8 SAR 307

20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$69.9 SAR 262

15.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$634 SAR 2,379

-31.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$338 SAR 1,267

17.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$749 SAR 2,812

37.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$808 SAR 3,033

-2.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$2,323 SAR 8,717

4.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$1,329 SAR 4,988

9.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$2,826 SAR 10.6K

-33.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

4.42

-13.12%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $634 in Buraydah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Buraydah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $204 per month, with Buraydah 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

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

Buraydah wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Buraydah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Buraydah earns 51% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $433 in Al Khobar versus $634 in Buraydah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Buraydah runs roughly 55% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $262 in Buraydah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,185 in Buraydah versus $1,344 in Al Khobar, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Buraydah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Buraydah 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, Al Khobar and Buraydah 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 Buraydah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.