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: $1,415 in Al Khobar versus $1,235 in Buraydah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,187 in Al Khobar versus $2,064 in Buraydah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,960 in Al Khobar versus $2,893 in Buraydah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 15% more expensive than in Buraydah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 3% above, Buraydah is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.38 SAR 50.3

-50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 SAR 223

$40.45 SAR 152

46.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$8.22 SAR 30.87

-3.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 SAR 9.74

$1.90 SAR 7.13

36.32%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.15

$1.36 SAR 5.10

98.53%

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.21

$3.58 SAR 13.45

20.67%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.74

$0.76 SAR 2.85

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.26 SAR 0.96

46.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.64 SAR 6.17

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.75

$1.15 SAR 4.30

9.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.47 SAR 9.27

-1.62%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.02

$2.91 SAR 10.92

-17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 SAR 26.72

$8.54 SAR 32.07

-16.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.25 SAR 38.48

$6.61 SAR 24.83

55.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 SAR 44.13

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

$2.31 SAR 8.69

20.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-6.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.42

$1.73 SAR 6.48

13.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.87

$1.65 SAR 6.20

10.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$1.40 SAR 5.27

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.37 SAR 5.14

18.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.09 SAR 4.10

54.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$0.61 SAR 2.29

-9.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.88 SAR 7.06

38.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

$1.53 SAR 5.76

3.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 SAR 6.79

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-30.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 SAR 24.56

$6.52 SAR 24.49

0.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 SAR 2.79

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-29.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.6 SAR 250

$35.26 SAR 132

88.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 SAR 12.78

$2.71 SAR 10.17

25.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-2.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 SAR 25.36

$16.88 SAR 63.4

-60.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.59 SAR 2.22

1.69%

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

$67.2K SAR 252.4K

$41.4K SAR 155.6K

62.22%

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

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

$23.2K SAR 87.2K

-4.01%

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

$100 SAR 376

$71.7 SAR 269

39.88%

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

$32.10 SAR 121

$32.13 SAR 121

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 256

$71.0 SAR 266

-3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.6 SAR 306

$133 SAR 500

-38.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$36.59 SAR 137

-1.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.6

$15.33 SAR 57.6

1.70%

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

$590 SAR 2,216

$266 SAR 999

121.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,568 SAR 32.2K

$3,788 SAR 14.2K

126.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 SAR 234

$51.5 SAR 193

21.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$83.5 SAR 313

$58.1 SAR 218

43.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 SAR 359

$79.7 SAR 299

20.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 SAR 343

$70.1 SAR 263

30.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$694 SAR 2,607

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 SAR 1,864

$331 SAR 1,244

49.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 SAR 4,463

$886 SAR 3,328

34.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$876 SAR 3,289

$820 SAR 3,081

6.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,382 SAR 8,944

$2,400 SAR 9,012

-0.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,464 SAR 5,498

$1,394 SAR 5,236

4.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,812 SAR 6,806

$2,506 SAR 9,410

-27.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

3.98

47.74%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Buraydah: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $694 in Buraydah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buraydah pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Buraydah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 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 15% 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 38% 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $694 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 89% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $590 in Al Khobar versus $266 in Buraydah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,235 in Buraydah versus $1,415 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 15% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.