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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,323 in Al Khobar versus $1,163 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,104 in Al Khobar versus $1,764 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,885 in Al Khobar versus $2,365 in Unaizah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 14% more expensive than in Unaizah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Khobar 1% lower, Unaizah 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.47 SAR 24.31

$6.68 SAR 25.10

-3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 SAR 200

$40.60 SAR 152

30.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$7.15 SAR 26.86

8.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

$1.57 SAR 5.89

28.66%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 SAR 9.92

$1.31 SAR 4.90

101.53%

Cappuccino

$4.38 SAR 16.45

$4.18 SAR 15.70

4.78%

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

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$0.74 SAR 2.77

37.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.28 SAR 1.06

82.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

$1.54 SAR 5.80

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$0.29 SAR 1.07

379.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.30 SAR 8.63

4.35%

Eggs

$2.83 SAR 10.62

$2.53 SAR 9.50

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.64 SAR 24.92

$6.09 SAR 22.87

9.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.95 SAR 33.60

$4.70 SAR 17.66

90.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.73 SAR 47.82

$12.79 SAR 48.03

-0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.25 SAR 8.43

12.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

$1.56 SAR 5.86

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

$1.74 SAR 6.52

23.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-1.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.28 SAR 4.79

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-35.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.23 SAR 4.62

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$0.66 SAR 2.47

-12.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.82

$2.60 SAR 9.77

0.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-17.44%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-2.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.62 SAR 24.86

$6.83 SAR 25.66

-3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 SAR 3.60

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.78 SAR 149

54.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$2.71 SAR 10.18

-17.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.84 SAR 6.92

-28.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 SAR 25.48

$13.08 SAR 49.10

-48.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$0.60 SAR 2.24

8.33%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.8K

$26.5K SAR 99.6K

-19.89%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.2K

$21.9K SAR 82.3K

4.69%

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

$122 SAR 458

$104 SAR 392

16.61%

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

$34.21 SAR 128

$33.13 SAR 124

3.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.4 SAR 306

$72.5 SAR 272

12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 400

$53.3 SAR 200

99.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.66 SAR 138

$35.48 SAR 133

3.33%

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 SAR 64.3

$15.56 SAR 58.4

10.03%

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

$301 SAR 1,129

$354 SAR 1,329

-15.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,632 SAR 28.7K

$6,930 SAR 26.0K

10.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 SAR 239

$59.9 SAR 225

6.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.1 SAR 259

$61.1 SAR 229

13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 SAR 375

$80.7 SAR 303

23.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 SAR 293

$82.3 SAR 309

-5.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 SAR 1,615

$448 SAR 1,681

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 SAR 1,479

$380 SAR 1,426

3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 SAR 3,938

$840 SAR 3,156

24.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,004

$622 SAR 2,337

28.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,955

$2,481 SAR 9,315

-3.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 SAR 5,479

$1,517 SAR 5,696

-3.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,822 SAR 6,843

$2,500 SAR 9,389

-27.11%

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 26, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Al Khobar and $448 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 37% 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 $41.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $175 per month, with Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Unaizah wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Unaizah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 37% lower in Unaizah. 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: $430 in Al Khobar versus $448 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah 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 $301 in Al Khobar versus $354 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,163 in Unaizah versus $1,323 in Al Khobar, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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 Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.