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: $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,224 in Buraydah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,100 in Al Khobar versus $1,996 in Buraydah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,868 in Al Khobar versus $2,768 in Buraydah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 9% more expensive than in Buraydah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Buraydah is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 SAR 25.59

$12.49 SAR 46.89

-45.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 SAR 203

$39.47 SAR 148

36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 SAR 30.77

$7.46 SAR 28.02

9.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$1.55 SAR 5.83

27.74%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.51 SAR 5.68

78.81%

Cappuccino

$4.26 SAR 16.00

$3.67 SAR 13.78

16.08%

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

$0.96 SAR 3.61

$0.80 SAR 3.00

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.83

$0.26 SAR 0.96

88.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.65 SAR 6.21

2.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.05 SAR 3.93

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.58 SAR 9.70

-10.08%

Eggs

$2.88 SAR 10.81

$2.52 SAR 9.47

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.94 SAR 26.04

$8.45 SAR 31.74

-17.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 SAR 34.26

$6.68 SAR 25.08

36.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.61 SAR 47.33

$13.72 SAR 51.5

-8.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.53

$2.47 SAR 9.28

2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.86 SAR 6.99

-7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$1.40 SAR 5.25

52.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.67 SAR 6.26

-5.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$1.41 SAR 5.31

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$1.50 SAR 5.64

14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.12 SAR 4.19

51.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$0.70 SAR 2.63

-14.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

$1.90 SAR 7.15

42.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

$1.45 SAR 5.43

0.69%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-27.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$6.22 SAR 23.36

4.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-12.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.1 SAR 225

$39.96 SAR 150

50.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 SAR 8.48

$2.58 SAR 9.70

-12.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$16.68 SAR 62.6

-60.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.60 SAR 2.25

8.33%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$26.3K SAR 98.7K

-18.74%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$24.6K SAR 92.5K

-7.67%

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

$124 SAR 466

$75.8 SAR 285

63.57%

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

$34.51 SAR 130

$29.83 SAR 112

15.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.7 SAR 303

$71.4 SAR 268

13.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$102 SAR 382

7.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.80 SAR 138

$35.02 SAR 131

5.08%

Cinema Ticket

$17.36 SAR 65.2

$15.81 SAR 59.4

9.80%

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

$306 SAR 1,147

$264 SAR 989

15.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

$3,690 SAR 13.9K

104.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.7 SAR 191

24.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 SAR 262

$73.5 SAR 276

-5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 SAR 376

$80.7 SAR 303

24.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 SAR 302

$71.1 SAR 267

13.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,627

$626 SAR 2,349

-30.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 SAR 1,505

$338 SAR 1,267

18.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,059 SAR 3,977

$767 SAR 2,879

38.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$813 SAR 3,054

$810 SAR 3,042

0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 SAR 9,169

$2,385 SAR 8,956

2.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 SAR 5,344

$1,332 SAR 5,003

6.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,856 SAR 6,970

$2,488 SAR 9,344

-25.40%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $626 in Buraydah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 34% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Al Khobar vs $39.00 in Buraydah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $205 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 9% 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, salaries run 34% lower in Buraydah. 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 $626 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 50% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $306 in Al Khobar versus $264 in Buraydah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,224 in Buraydah versus $1,332 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 9% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.