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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,224 in Buraydah versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

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

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

Living in Buraydah costs roughly 8% less than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.49 SAR 46.89

$6.82 SAR 25.60

83.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.47 SAR 148

$54.0 SAR 203

-26.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 SAR 28.02

$8.19 SAR 30.77

-8.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$1.98 SAR 7.44

-21.72%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$2.70 SAR 10.13

-44.07%

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.78

$4.26 SAR 16.01

-13.85%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$0.96 SAR 3.61

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.49 SAR 1.83

-46.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 SAR 6.21

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.40 SAR 5.24

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$2.32 SAR 8.72

11.21%

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.47

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.45 SAR 31.74

$6.94 SAR 26.05

21.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 SAR 25.08

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.72 SAR 51.5

$12.61 SAR 47.34

8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.54 SAR 9.53

-2.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.99

$1.72 SAR 6.45

8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.57 SAR 5.88

6.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.31

$1.41 SAR 5.30

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.64

$1.72 SAR 6.47

-12.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 SAR 4.19

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-34.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.63

$0.60 SAR 2.24

16.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-29.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$1.46 SAR 5.48

-0.68%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.78

$1.88 SAR 7.04

38.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 SAR 23.36

$6.51 SAR 24.45

-4.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$0.92 SAR 3.44

14.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.96 SAR 150

$60.1 SAR 225

-33.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$2.26 SAR 8.48

14.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$1.35 SAR 5.06

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.68 SAR 62.6

$6.60 SAR 24.78

152.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$0.65 SAR 2.43

-7.69%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

23.06%

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

$24.6K SAR 92.5K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

8.30%

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

$75.8 SAR 285

$124 SAR 466

-38.86%

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

$29.83 SAR 112

$34.51 SAR 130

-13.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$80.7 SAR 303

-11.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 382

$109 SAR 410

-6.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.02 SAR 132

$36.80 SAR 138

-4.84%

Cinema Ticket

$15.81 SAR 59.4

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-8.93%

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

$264 SAR 990

$306 SAR 1,147

-13.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,690 SAR 13.9K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

-51.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.7 SAR 191

$63.4 SAR 238

-19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.5 SAR 276

$69.8 SAR 262

5.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 SAR 303

$100 SAR 376

-19.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 SAR 267

$80.4 SAR 302

-11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,349

$433 SAR 1,627

44.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 SAR 1,268

$401 SAR 1,505

-15.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 SAR 2,880

$1,059 SAR 3,977

-27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 SAR 3,042

$813 SAR 3,054

-0.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,385 SAR 8,957

$2,442 SAR 9,169

-2.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,332 SAR 5,003

$1,423 SAR 5,344

-6.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,488 SAR 9,344

$1,856 SAR 6,971

34.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

3.84

15.10%

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

Last update for Buraydah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Buraydah and $433 in Al Khobar. 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: $39.00 in Buraydah vs $54.0 in Al Khobar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $217 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

Buraydah vs Al Khobar: 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.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Buraydah, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Buraydah versus $433 in Al Khobar. 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 $264 in Buraydah versus $306 in Al Khobar. 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, Buraydah and Al Khobar 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.