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: $1,434 in Al Khobar versus $1,101 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,206 in Al Khobar versus $1,694 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,978 in Al Khobar versus $2,286 in Unaizah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 30% more expensive than in Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 5% above, Unaizah is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$6.62 SAR 24.85

3.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 SAR 226

$39.80 SAR 149

51.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$6.98 SAR 26.23

12.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 SAR 10.16

$1.65 SAR 6.19

63.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.37 SAR 5.13

89.78%

Cappuccino

$4.47 SAR 16.77

$3.99 SAR 14.99

12.03%

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

$0.99 SAR 3.74

$0.74 SAR 2.77

33.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.28 SAR 1.06

46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.47 SAR 5.54

10.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$0.31 SAR 1.17

306.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 SAR 9.51

$2.14 SAR 8.03

18.22%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$2.40 SAR 9.02

-1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 SAR 27.04

$5.92 SAR 22.23

21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.00 SAR 37.57

$4.60 SAR 17.26

117.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 SAR 44.49

$12.73 SAR 47.81

-6.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 SAR 10.36

$2.15 SAR 8.08

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

$1.58 SAR 5.95

11.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.54 SAR 5.80

32.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$1.68 SAR 6.33

7.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$1.18 SAR 4.44

18.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-35.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 SAR 6.48

$1.14 SAR 4.27

50.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-7.81%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.81

$2.84 SAR 10.66

-8.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-5.92%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.17 SAR 8.14

-11.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 SAR 25.63

$6.56 SAR 24.63

3.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-24.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.8 SAR 258

$36.06 SAR 135

90.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 SAR 12.58

$2.86 SAR 10.72

17.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.94

$1.81 SAR 6.80

46.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 SAR 25.13

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-50.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$0.64 SAR 2.42

-6.25%

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

$67.9K SAR 254.9K

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

46.44%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

3.25%

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

$98.7 SAR 371

$99.6 SAR 374

-0.94%

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

$32.44 SAR 122

$31.98 SAR 120

1.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 SAR 257

$68.1 SAR 256

0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.1 SAR 308

$53.8 SAR 202

52.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.49 SAR 137

$36.87 SAR 139

-1.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$13.10 SAR 49.22

14.89%

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

$611 SAR 2,294

$347 SAR 1,303

76.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,394 SAR 31.5K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

25.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 SAR 238

$50.7 SAR 190

25.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 SAR 307

$59.1 SAR 222

38.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$96.8 SAR 364

0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 SAR 355

$89.2 SAR 335

5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 SAR 2,412

$576 SAR 2,163

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$512 SAR 1,921

$339 SAR 1,275

50.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,183 SAR 4,442

$893 SAR 3,353

32.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 SAR 3,201

$556 SAR 2,087

53.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,432 SAR 9,134

$2,401 SAR 9,020

1.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,512

$1,380 SAR 5,182

6.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,830 SAR 6,872

$2,517 SAR 9,453

-27.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

5.47

7.50%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: September 13, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $642 in Al Khobar and $576 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah 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: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $40.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $171 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 30% 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 38% 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: $642 in Al Khobar versus $576 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 91% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $611 in Al Khobar versus $347 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,434 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 30% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.