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: $1,346 in Al Khobar versus $1,150 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,152 in Al Khobar versus $1,739 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,958 in Al Khobar versus $2,327 in Unaizah.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 17% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 0% above, Unaizah is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 SAR 25.03

$6.78 SAR 25.44

-1.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 SAR 198

$40.62 SAR 152

29.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 SAR 30.18

$7.14 SAR 26.79

12.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$1.65 SAR 6.18

23.64%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 SAR 10.09

$1.30 SAR 4.88

106.92%

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.30

$4.01 SAR 15.04

8.23%

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

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$0.68 SAR 2.54

38.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.92

$0.26 SAR 0.97

96.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.47 SAR 5.50

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$0.31 SAR 1.18

351.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 SAR 8.64

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-2.13%

Eggs

$2.92 SAR 10.96

$2.45 SAR 9.20

19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.70 SAR 25.15

$5.89 SAR 22.11

13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 SAR 34.81

$4.73 SAR 17.76

96.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 SAR 47.21

$13.18 SAR 49.44

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.49 SAR 9.33

$2.26 SAR 8.50

10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.64 SAR 6.16

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.72 SAR 6.46

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

$1.55 SAR 5.82

5.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.33

$1.24 SAR 4.67

14.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

$1.23 SAR 4.60

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$0.70 SAR 2.63

-10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.61 SAR 9.79

$2.59 SAR 9.72

0.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.50

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-15.12%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

$2.01 SAR 7.55

-2.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 SAR 25.55

$6.95 SAR 26.10

-2.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-10.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 SAR 230

$39.73 SAR 149

54.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-29.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 SAR 24.62

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-51.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.64 SAR 2.40

-4.69%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.8K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-19.14%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.8K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

4.34%

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

$125 SAR 468

$106 SAR 397

18.00%

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

$34.88 SAR 131

$33.99 SAR 128

2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.1 SAR 304

$73.3 SAR 275

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SAR 410

$53.0 SAR 199

105.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.43 SAR 137

$36.24 SAR 136

0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$15.77 SAR 59.2

11.98%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$353 SAR 1,324

-13.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,640 SAR 28.7K

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

10.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 SAR 242

$58.1 SAR 218

11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.2 SAR 260

$59.6 SAR 224

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.5 SAR 373

$79.8 SAR 299

24.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 SAR 293

$80.3 SAR 301

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$431 SAR 1,618

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,521

$381 SAR 1,429

6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 SAR 3,829

$864 SAR 3,241

18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 SAR 3,043

$629 SAR 2,361

28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,003

$2,079 SAR 7,800

15.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 SAR 5,502

$1,529 SAR 5,736

-4.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,861 SAR 6,983

$2,517 SAR 9,443

-26.06%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Al Khobar and $431 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 35% 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 $218 vs $176 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 17% 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, Unaizah earns 35% 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: $439 in Al Khobar versus $431 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 54% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Al Khobar versus $353 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,150 in Unaizah versus $1,346 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 17% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.